Many refugee families in Iran live on the margins of society. Most of them can only work in menial, low-paid jobs. Families that have lost their male breadwinners and are headed by women have even more difficulties to make ends meet. Many families are not able to eat balanced diets. Only Allah knows how many mo’mins worry in their hearts whether they and their families will be able to serve Allah by fasting during the upcoming holy month.
After the graduation of the first batch of computer and sewing course trainees on 28 January and 16 February 2010 respectively, IRAC began to accept applications for the second course.
In May 2006, IRAC began to implement a nutrition and care project for unaccompanied elderly refugees residing in Abbas-Abad camp near Sultaniyeh/ Zanjan in north-western Iran. At the time, eleven unaccompanied elderly or chronically ill refugees benefited from this project. They received three fully prepared meals per day in addition to periodic purchases of clothing and other daily necessities...........
Iman Taleihi Hassan is 49 years old and lives in Baghdad. Her husband, who suffered from severe Diabetes, passed away eight years ago, leaving her and two children who were still small at the time. Iman does not have any kind of training that would enable her to earn money, and Iraqi customs and culture do not encourage women to seek employment. Iman just relied on charity from neighbours and family and ......
500 GBP ~ Enabled Eighteen Orphaned Students to Continue Their Studies. LFT Donors, More orphaned students will need your help in 2010.
2010-01-17
IRAC strongly encourages school attendance of the orphans sponsored and supported by LFT and IRAC’s joint orphan sponsorship program. In some cases, families are too poor to afford even minor educational expenses. Older orphans, who pursue higher degrees, have to pay tuition fees that many fathers would find hard to afford. To enable these orphans to continue their education, LFT and IRAC set up a small educational fund. In 2009, eighteen students benefited.
Construction of an Additional Floor Comprising Six Classrooms Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi Refugee Students Fourth Progress Report
2010-01-09
On 2 September 2009, IRAC appealed to LFT and its generous donors to fund the construction of a second floor, comprising six additional classrooms, for Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi refugee students in Jamkaran, near Qum, Iran. Construction work began on 24 August 2009. Accomplishments until 6 January 2010 are as follows: • Construction of six classrooms (skeleton, walls and roof) • Tiling of floors • Plaster work on walls • Tiling a 25 cm high strip around the bottom of all walls with ceramic tiles according to Iranian standard requirements for schools. • Installation of electric cables • Installation of window panes • Construction of three roof windows to improve lighting of the building. Initially, only one roof window was planned. • Tiling and equipment of an upstairs bathroom for the teaching staff
Roof Insulation and Purchase and Installation of Doors for 100 Houses in Shaheed Dastgheib Refugee Camp for Iraqi Refugees
2009-12-02
The Islamic Republic of Iran houses Iraqi refugees since the early 1970s. While the great majority of refugees have always been town-based, about 20,000 refugees remained in camps during their stay in Iran. After the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s Baathist regime, the great majority of camp-based refugees repatriated. Today, about 500 families remain in four major camps.
Educational Support for Iraqi Refugee Students Studying in Iran-Zamin School for Iraqi Refugee Children
2009-11-29
In October 2009, IRAC appealed for support with school fees for 71 Iraqi refugee students who study in Iran-Zamin School in Dowlat-Abad – Tehran. After LFT’s positive reply, IRAC called on the students’ parents to apply for registering in the program and submit related documentation. To date, a total of 65 students have registered in the program. The table below shows the number of students from each phase of schooling who registered in the program:
Construction of an Additional Floor Comprising Six Classrooms for Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi Refugee Students
2009-11-18
On 2 September 2009, IRAC appealed to LFT and its generous donors to fund the construction of a second floor, comprising six additional classrooms, for Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi refugee students in Jamkaran, near Qum, Iran. The school’s students, all Iraqi refugees and most of them refugees who arrived after 2003, are until now studying in cramped quarters. Half the classrooms are located in the basement and are dark and airless. All students come from very poor families and their home situation is frequently depressing. Spacey, well-aired and well-lit classrooms will elevate their morals. Children who are comfortable, happy and hopeful for the future study with greater concentration and achieve better grades.
Educational Support for 71 Iraqi Refugee Students Studying in Iran-Zamin School for Iraqi Refugee Children ~ LFT Donors It costs only 15 GBP per month
2009-10-19
In the 2008-2009 academic year, LFT and IRAC jointly supported 79 newly arrived Iraqi refugee students with part of their school fee at Iran-Zamin school in Dowlat-Abad, Tehran. In many parts of Iran, security has still not returned and families do not feel that it is safe enough to return to their former place of residence. Families who have lost their fathers to terrorist attacks and are now headed by the mother have especially grave security concerns. The same is the case for families whose male breadwinners are disabled or chronically ill. Women-headed families who have close relatives in Iran prefer to remain close to them. Some of the families are so traumatized that they cannot imagine that they will live in their homeland again. Ali, Ameneh, Mohammad and Robab Ibrahim Razzouqi, 7 to 15 years old, for example witnessed how terrorists shot into their house and then received death threats from the terrorists over the phone.
LFT-IRAC Joint Project: Skills Training Centre for Refugees in Qum LFT Donors ONLY GBP 52.00 per person per annum
2009-10-18
In April and May 2009, IRAC received funding from LFT to establish a skills training centre for refugees residing in the holy city of Qum, 150 kilometres south of Tehran. The beginning of implementation was rough. IRAC’s staff members spent countless tiring hours trying to find a suitable building. At least two floors with ideally 150 square meters or more per floor, situated in a region of the town that was easily accessible by public transportation and not too far away from the regions where most refugees reside needed to be found. When IRAC had finally found almost ideal premises in mid-August, shortly before the holy month of Ramadhan, the project suffered a major setback: On the day the rent contract was to be signed, the owner of the property suddenly withdrew. After a frantic search, IRAC found another, if a little less ideal building that was rented during the holy month.
Construction of an Additional Floor Comprising Six Classrooms for Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi Refugee Students
2009-10-03
On 2 September 2009, IRAC appealed to LFT and its generous donors to fund the construction of a second floor, comprising six additional classrooms, for Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi refugee students in Jamkaran, near Qum, Iran. Over 600 refugee students, who are still studying in the old, cramped teaching space, impatiently wait for the day when they can occupy their new, spacey, well-aired classrooms.
Appeal to Construct an Additional Floor for Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi Refugee Students
2009-09-04
Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi refugee children was established in October 2002 by a number of Iraqi refugees residing in Qum. The school aims at providing schooling to Iraqi refugee children who were not able to obtain valid refugee documents and are therefore unable to sign up in Iranian public schools. The school is located in the Jamkaran region near Qum. Accommodation is for free in a building that was consigned as Waqf by its former owner, the deceased Seyyed Hussein al-Moussawi. While the basement is used as a Husseiniyeh, the first floor is occupied by Imam Mehdi (as) School. There are six classrooms on the first floor. Due to lack of space, some classes have to be taught in the basement. Temporary partitions have been put up to divide part of the basement into several classrooms:
Orphan, support and permanent assistance report from Iran for the first half of 2009
2009-08-31
Most of us look back on our childhood with a nostalgic longing for a better, more secure and more peaceful life. However, not all children are blessed with a happy childhood. In a world ravaged by war as well as disease, many children have to go through the perhaps most painful childhood experience: The loss of one or both of their parents. In the first six months of 2009, 168 orphans (e.g. children who have lost at least one parent, in most cases the father) have received assistance under IRAC’s orphan sponsorship and orphan support programs. The orphan sponsorship program assists orphans under the age of 15 years. While school attendance is encouraged and monitored, it is not a condition for receiving assistance. In the orphan support program, orphans over 15 years of age a sponsored with the condition that they attend school, university or skills training or work as an apprentice to learn a trade. Attendance is closely monitored. A further 40 needy persons, most of them children living in conditions closely resembling orphan hood, received monthly assistance under the permanent assistance program.
Educational Support for 79 Iraqi Refugee Students Studying in Iran-Zamin School for Iraqi Refugee Children
2009-08-18
Despite improvements, the security situation remains precarious in Iraq and many families cannot live in their home towns. While the majority of these families seek shelter in other Iraqi provinces, some decide to leave Iraq altogether and seek refuge in Iran. Exact statistics about the number of such families do not exist, as they enter Iran with a valid passport and tourist visa. Although these families are now safe, their life is anything but easy in Iran. In addition to coping with a strange language and culture, finding and paying for accommodation, the issue of medical treatment and the education of their children are all issues newly arrived Iraqi refugee families have to tackle without any assistance from the host government.
1,330 Needy Iraqi Refugee Families (6,650 persons) Ask for Your Help
2009-07-04
As the holy month of Ramadhan draws closer, Iraqi refugee families in Iran look forward to fasting for the sake of Allah. However, at the same time family fathers and mothers are concerned how they will put nutritious food on the table each night for Eftar so that all family members have the strength to enjoy the full spiritual benefit of fasting. Many Iraqi refugee families live on the margins of society. Most can only work at menial, low-paid jobs. Families that have lost their male breadwinners and are headed by women have even more difficulties to make ends meet. Many families are not able to eat balanced diets. Especially children, pregnant and lactating women and the elderly are at risk of malnutrition. Only Allah knows how many mo’mins worry in their hearts whether they and their families will be able to serve Allah by fasting during the holy month.
Educational Support for 79 Iraqi Refugee Students Studying in Iran-Zamin School for Iraqi Refugee Children
2009-07-04
Dear LFT donors: Research has shown that attending school has a therapeutic effect on children who have gone through traumatizing experiences. School focuses their thoughts on their future, gives them a sense of empowerment and offers a safe environment. Iran-Zamin school is like home away from home for these uprooted children. The teachers speak Arabic and are themselves Iraqi, and the lessons continue where they were interrupted in Iraq. The families of most students intend to return to Iraq as soon as it is safe to do so. In the meantime, their children can continue their education without disruption. As you can see from the table, many families have three and even four school-age children. Even with a good income, paying school fees for so many students would be difficult, let alone with the meagre incomes these families are able to eek out on the edges of the Iranian economy. Give these children a chance to continue their education until they can return to their country. On average, it costs a mere 12 GBP to send a child to school for a month. With 100 GBP, you can pay for a student’s school fees for a whole year.
500 GBP from LFT enabled 15 students to continue their studies
2009-02-17
Islam makes it compulsory for every Muslim, man or woman, young or old, to continue to acquire knowledge and skills. Of course, studying is especially important early in life, when a young person acquires an education that will provide the basis for his or her gainful activities throughout a whole life. IRAC received a donation of 500 GBP from Lady Fatemah Charitable Trust, which was earmarked for educational expenses for orphans. Over a period of ten months, fifteen students received varying amounts of assistance that would enable them to continue with their studies
Skills Training Centre for Iraqi and Afghan Refugees in Qum, Iran
2009-01-25
Hassan studies in 3rd grade high school in Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi refugee children. He is a good student and looks forward to graduating in fall. However, the future is not as bright as it should be for a new high school graduate. Hassan will not be able to attend university as long as he has to live in Iran, and employment opportunities for refugees are severely restricted due to Iran’s labour laws. He dreams of becoming self-employed, of running his own small business and earning enough money to decently support his mother and younger siblings. However, like most refugees, Hassan does not have the necessary skills to become self-employed and does not have the funds to attend a commercial skills training centre.
210 Iraqi and Afghan Refugee Orphan Children Programme Jointly run by LFT and IRAC in Iran
2008-10-21
Refugee children are orphaned more often than children who live in their own country, and the future of an orphaned refugee child is more at risk than that of an orphan who lives in his / her own country. Orphaned refugee children do not have extended family to rely upon for material and emotional report. The only person who can support them is their mother, and widowed refugee women are at a great disadvantage when it comes to providing for their families.
Guidance Centre in Iran for Iraqi Patient coming for treatment in Iran
2008-07-27
In December 2007, IRAC made an appeal to LFT to support the running cost of its guidance centres for Iraqi patients who come to Iran to receive various forms of medical treatment not available in Iraq. Many Iraqi patients come to Iran without the slightest notion where to turn for treatment. Because they do not know any Farsi and are unacquainted with the Iranian medical system, many of them end up in private hospitals that charge very high fees while treatment would have been available at much cheaper rates in government and charity facilities.
Appeal for Assistance from Husseiniya Amir al-Mo’mineen in Dowlat-Abad, Tehran
2008-06-18
Husseiniyas are comparable with Islamic community centers. They normally are used for performing ceremonies on religious holidays and holding services for the deceased. However, Husseiniya Amir al-Mo’mineen, which is located in the Dowlat-Abad region south of Tehran, has assumed a different responsibility for several years now. It offers free accommodation to Iraqi patients coming to Iran for treatment. Men and women can sleep in separate facilities. The Husseiniya provides blankets, toilet services and bathing facilities. While conditions are obviously basic, the head of the Husseiniya does his best to provide services that are suitable for patients and their accompanying persons.
LFT receives Appeal to Support 103 Orphans Under 15 Years and 102 Orphans and Needy Young Persons Over 15 Years
2008-06-01
Under this program, orphans are sponsored without any condition in an attempt to replace a small part of the care their father would have provided. However, IRAC realizes that the most important capital an orphan can be given is a sound education. Therefore, the orphans benefiting from this program are encouraged to attend school whenever this is possible, and IRAC’s staff members try to solve problems that prevent an orphan from attending school. Of 103 orphans, 22 are less than six years old. Of the other 81 orphans, 63 orphans (78 per cent) attend school and one orphan attends literacy classes. Five orphans suffer from mental or physical handicaps that make it impossible for them to attend school. Twelve orphans do not attend school due to reasons IRAC is unable to influence, mostly problems with their refugee documents. Many families told IRAC’s staff that IRAC’s sponsorship makes it possible for their children to continue their education.
Appeal for Assistance for Three-year old Patient Needing Exceptionally Costly Lifesaving Treatment
2008-02-13
Three-year old Maha from Basrah in Iraq suffers from thalassemia major. Since the little girl can remember, she has been in need of regular blood transfusions. She used to climb onto the hospital bed with a smile, and when she saw worry plainly written on her father’s face, she would say: “Papa, don’t worry. I will be all right.”
Appeal for Assistance for Two Schools for 557 Refugee Children in Qum – Iran
2008-01-31
Psychological research shows that regular school attendance helps refugee children to adjust to the harsh reality of refugee life. Attending school provides the children with a structured day and prevents idleness or their absorption into the labour market at a much too early age. Moreover, it gives them a sense of empowerment and control of their future.
Appeal from Khaza’eli School for the Blind, Tehran
2008-01-09
IRAC again received an appeal for assistance from Khaza’eli School for the Blind. The school is located in downtown Tehran and teaches 101 boys from 1st primary to 3rd high school. Almost all students are from needy families and cannot afford special audio-devices that allow blind students to study independently and without the assistance from a person with normal vision.
Guidance Centres for Iraqi Patients Coming to Iran for Treatment
2007-12-12
Since the toppling of Saddam’s regime in 2003, the situation in Iraq has continued to deteriorate due to lack of security. Sectarian strife and terrorist and criminal activities make it difficult to govern the country and prevent reconstruction. The medical sector has been especially affected. Medical infrastructure and equipment, already badly affected by Saddam Hussein’s misgovernment and international sanctions during the final period of his reign, was hard-hit by extensive looting after the Baathist regime was toppled. Physicians and specialists have been subject to threats and attacks by terrorists. According to a report recently published by the British medical watchdog agency Medact, of 34,000 Iraqi physicians registered before the 2003 war, 18,000 have left the country, 2,000 have been murdered and 250 kidnapped. This leaves Iraq with a mere 13,750 physicians, most of them with an inferior level of training and without access to current developments in medicine, for a population of more than 26 million, that is one physician for every 1,890 Iraqis. The situation is even worse when it comes to specialist care.
Monitoring visit to Sultaniyah camp, Iran {Aged Iraqi Refuges}
2007-11-22
On 10 November 2007, IRAC’s representative paid a visit to Sultaniyah camp to monitor the feeding program for nine refugees who have no family. Some of the beneficiaries of this project are elderly or chronically ill. The table below shows the situation of each of the beneficiaries and their needs at the beginning of the cold season:
A Chicken per Family Project for Iraqi and Afghan Refugees in Iran
2007-02-26
Proper nutrition is essential for the physical and psychological wellbeing of children and grown-ups alike. This is true for healthy individuals, but becomes even more essential for those suffering from chronic diseases. Families with low income are frequently forced to economize on the food-budget to satisfy other needs, while chronically ill patients do not eat properly in order to be able to purchase their medications. Because meat and chicken are expensive, protein intake is frequently very low. Programs aimed at improving the nutrition of poor families and needy chronically ill patients should provide food items, not cash.
Progress Report on Khaz’ali School for the Blind in Down Town Tehran
2007-02-21
After receiving an appeal to assist Khaz’ali school for the blind in downtown Tehran in December 2006, IRAC’s senior staff members visited the school and assessed the needs of its students. LFT then launched an appeal for funding on its website.
Imam Mehdi School for Iraqi Refugee Children
2007-02-13
Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi refugee children was established in October 2002 by a number of Iraqi refugees residing in Qum. The school aims at providing schooling to Iraqi refugee children who were not able to obtain valid refugee documents and are therefore unable to sign up in Iranian public schools. At present, the school has 772 students and offers a full primary and junior high course for boys and girls. Details can be seen in the table below:
Sultaniyah feeding program for the months of June to December 2006
2007-01-01
With only 27 residents, Sultaniyah camp is extremely small. Apart from the beneficiaries, the camp accommodates three families comprising sixteen persons. Unfortunately, WFP stopped food aid to refugee camps in Iran. Therefore, all inhabitants of the camp are now in a difficult situation, as their income is not enough to purchase sufficient food items. Other, bigger camps located closer to main overland routes receive assistance from other charities, but Sultaniyeh is located too far-off to attract charitable activities.
Khaz’ali School for the Blind, Iran
2006-12-12
Dr. Khaz’ali School for the Blind is the first school for blind children to be established in Iran. Its founder was Dr. Khaz’ali who was himself blind. The school is located in downtown Tehran and has 101 students aged five to eighteen years. All students are boys. All 101 students come from families in difficult financial circumstances. Many are so needy that the school regularly asks for food donations from charitable individuals and distributes the items to the families.
Sponsorship of 121 orphaned Iraqi refugee children from October to December 2006
2006-11-15
Being a refugee implies being not at home and being different, often marginalized. Even refugee children who were born in the country their families fled to never feel really at home there. Being an orphan means lacking the support, loving care and guidance of a father that children desperately need and take for granted.
Medical Assistance for a 14 year Old Afghan Refugee Boy living in Yazad, Iran
2006-06-28
The applicant is Hussein Reza'i, a 14-year-old Afghan boy living in Yazd, who suffers from acute Hepatitis B. His father died from the same disease. He has a mother and three sisters. The mother tries to support herself and her children by working as a servant in other people's houses. Her son Hussein is her only hope in her old age, and he is the only person his sisters can look to for support until they get married. Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver that can lead to life-long infection, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and death. According to a physician who is employed by Irac in Yazd for another project, in the case of Hussein, the injections will make the virus inactive, stop the disease from progressing and permit him to lead a normal life, marry and support his family Hussein needs twelve injections to be administered over twelve weeks. Every injection costs 2,750,000 Rial (ca 175 GBP). Total cost of his treatment thus amounts to ca 2,076 GBP.
Assistance for Azadi Teaching Assembly
2006-06-02
Azadi Teaching Assembly was founded by Mr. Husseini, a blind Afghan man who is very active in spite of his handicap. After working for several years with the “Cultural Center for Blind Afghans” in Meshhed, he came to live in Qum and founded Azadi Teaching Assembly (ATA), which comprises two informal schools that provide 169 children of both genders with an education. There are two schools in this assembly because some of the children who wanted to study live far from the original location of the school and had thus problems to attend school regularly.
Purchase of Sewing / Embroidery Machines for needy Afghan Refugee Families
2006-03-16
Background: At present, more than one million Afghan refugees live in Iran. Most of them are poor and needy. Afghan men do the most tedious and most dangerous jobs and are paid below Iranian minimum wages. Many of them become sick due to their work conditions and are unable to continue to work, many of them die due to accidents or disease. There are also families who lost their breadwinner in the fighting in Afghanistan. Due to this situation, many Afghan refugee families are women-headed. While Afghan women are capable and resourceful, it is much harder for them than for the men to find work. Many of them cannot leave the house for a long period because their children are still too small.
Assistance to Informal Schools for Afghan Refugee Children
2006-02-06
Background: A succession of oppressive regimes and times of political upheaval and internal warfare forced many Afghans to flee their country. The majority went either to Iran or to Pakistan. The number of Afghan refugees in Iran reached 2.5 million prior to 11 September 2001, the American invasion of Afghanistan and the toppling of the Taliban regime. Since then, about 1 million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from Iran, but about 1.5 million still remain. Due to the bad economic situation in Afghanistan, lack of basic services, unavailability of medical treatment and scarcity of schooling, many Afghans do not yet feel that they can return to their country.
Assistance for Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi Refugee Children
2006-01-27
Imam Mehdi (as) School for Iraqi refugee children was established in October 2002 by a number of Iraqi refugees residing in Qum. The school aims at providing schooling to Iraqi refugee children who were not able to obtain valid refugee documents and are therefore unable to sign up in Iranian public schools. Since another informal school for Iraqi children closed in 2005, Imam Mehdi (as) School was suddenly faced with increased demand. Background: The school is located in Jamkaran region. Accommodation is for free in a building, which was made waqf by its former owner, the deceased Seyyed Hussein al-Moussawi. While the first floor is used as a Husseiniyeh, the second floor is occupied by Imam Mehdi (as) School. There are six classrooms on the first floor. Due to lack of space, junior high school for girls is taught in the basement. Part of the basement was segregated by curtains to form two classrooms where the girls study. The school is equipped with school benches and blackboards. More sophisticated equipment is lacking.
Afghan Refugee Schools, Iran
2006-01-07
After detailed investigations into the most pressing needs of Afghan Informal Schools in Tehran, the Afghan Cultural Council, represented by Ms. Vaezi, asked for three schools to be supported instead of only one.
Assistance for a one class Village Primary School for Afghan Refugee students in Alborz Region, Iran
2005-11-14
Background Alborz region is located 15 kilometers north-east of the Iranian city of Qum. The region is an agricultural region with large pistachio and olive plantations. The majority of agricultural workers tending to the plantations are Afghan refugees. Their families live with them on the plantations. As no Iranian families live in the region, there are no public schools at an accessible distance. The closest Iranian village is situated at a distance of about 20 kilometers, and its small public school would not be able to cope with additional students. Although – or perhaps because – illiteracy is widespread among Afghans, most Afghan families are extremely concerned about their children’s education and are ready to make financial sacrifices to ensure that they learn to read and write. The families living in Alborz region are no exception to this rule, and they were worried that their children would not receive even the most basic education. One of the fathers was acquainted with a young Afghan man trained as a teacher. The families asked him to teach their children in exchange for a fee for every child covering his expenses and providing a modest salary for him.
