Iraqi Children Foundation Releases 2023 Annual Report: For Orphans and Vulnerable Children, “The Change Begins”
April 3, 2024 Washington, DC – The Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF) today released its 2023 Annual Report, highlighting exciting growth in the range of services and geographic reach of projects benefiting Iraq’s most vulnerable and marginalized orphans, street kids, child laborers, disabled children, and child victims of sex and human organ trafficking.
“When ICF and its Iraqi partners show up in the darkest hours of a child’s life, the change begins,” said ICF Chairman David Collins. “ICF delivers free legal protection, education, nutrition, disability care, and psychosocial services for children in Baghdad, Mosul, and Fallujah. Too many boys and girls are out of school, on the streets, working as child laborers, and exploited by criminals and traffickers who target them for prostitution, labor, and the sale of human organs. We focus our core investments on high-impact, life-changing interventions for these kids, rather than one-time handouts.”
Illustrated by lots of pictures and stories of children, the report features key achievements from 2023:
2023 was ICF’s biggest year ever for program spending, with an increase of 12.24% over 2022.
For the first time in its history, ICF invested in a project in Fallujah, rescuing a clinic serving disabled children from permanently closing its doors. During the first six months, 831 services were provided to disabled children including medical consultations, physical rehabilitation, and psychosocial services.
This was the first full year of operating three “Hope Buses” in Baghdad, with a record 172 poor orphans and street children attending classes either full- or part-time, and an estimated 36,000 nutritious meals served.
In Mosul, ICF continued to support its first successful center for vulnerable girls, and began preparing for the launch of a second center. Many girls were previously displaced by ISIS’ occupation and have returned to Mosul. The center provides critical support to girls experiencing trauma, psychological distress, negative coping mechanisms, and gender-based violence.
The “Baghdad Street Lawyers,” a team of female and male lawyers, handled 547 cases during the year, providing free legal protection for children who are exploited by criminals and human traffickers, abused by employers, or face other risks, and securing critical legal documents children are required to have before they can attend school and access benefits.
To read the full report, click here. Comments and questions may be submitted to liz@iraqichildren.org
The Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF) intervenes in the lives of children who are at risk of abuse, neglect, and exploitation by criminals, traffickers, and extremists. ICF is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity (EIN 26-1394773). Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more information, visit www.iraqichildren.org or email liz@iraqichildren.org