The Littlest Refugees Feel the Biggest Impact of War in Iraq

Four years after the start of the war, four million Iraqis have been uprooted and more than half have left their country. An additional 40,000 to 50,000 refugees continue to leave Iraq every month. Children are among the most vulnerable; they face kidnapping, beatings, suicide bombings and murder. A lack of food threatens their health, and the disruption of education forces them to work to support their families.

"For your children, you can't be sure of their safety even at home, and the whole time they are at school, you worry. There's no one who escapes this insecurity." - Nada, 40

Since 2003, nearly 15 percent of Iraq's population has fled their homes, with 750,000 people seeking refuge in Jordan. According to U.S. Fund for UNICEF (UNICEF), 50 percent are children.

Photo: Brian Jonson/World Vision In Jordan, Hadi and his siblings sit in front of the one-room apartment they've lived in for over three years. The family fled Iraq when their father received a death threat. Hadi now attends a school supported by World Vision.

UNICEF hopes to reach more than 1 million of these small refugees through the reinforcement of schools and primary health centers. "Humanitarian aid offers a lifeline to Iraq's children and stepping up now is the best way to protect and invest in Iraq's future," says Daniel Toole, UNICEF's acting deputy director.

"I wanted to be a doctor, but I don't know what will happen if I cannot go back to school."
- Hadir, 14

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports that only 10,000 of the 250,000 school-age refugees in Jordan are attending school. Working with local organizations, World Vision is developing safe havens for children of war to play, learn and heal, offering informal education, counseling, peace-building skills, food distributions and health care programs.

"Education for today is hope for tomorrow—we must not lose this window of opportunity."
- Dennis Walto, Save the Children, Jordan

Save the Children is working alongside Jordan's Ministry of Education to ensure that the educational needs of 50,000 displaced children are met. The organization will transition Iraqi students into schools and provide education and life skills for the most vulnerable youth.

"Getting displaced children into school can play a key role in helping them adjust to their new surroundings and give them hope for the future," says Mr. Walto.

Though the outcome of the war remains to be seen, its impact can already be felt by an entire generation of Iraqi youth. Please continue to visit www.charity.org for updates on additional member charity work with refugees in Iraq.