2022
“Return to School”: Sustainable WaSH Support and Capacity Building for Bajwanya Al-Alya Mixed Primary School
Duration: January 2022 – June 2022
Location: Nineveh
Donor/Partner: Australian Embassy
Total Beneficiaries: 212 girls, 180 boys, 13 teaching and admin staff, 25 CFW individuals, & 350 parents
This project, with the support of Australian Aid, focused on supporting one mixed primary school in an under-served, remote village located in Nineveh. Hence, comprehensive rehabilitation and upgrading of water and sanitation facilities, namely improvements to water supply and water quality control, gender-sensitive rehabilitation of latrines and the school’s sewerage network as well as non-WaSH improvements in the school building with the support of 25 Cash for Work personnel were conducted. In parallel, teachers and admin staff had their capacities improved concerning topics related to WaSH and hygiene routines, menstrual hygiene management, care for the natural environment, and inclusive practices in education which helped in bringing lasting behavioral changes. Throughout the following, a safe, child-friendly, and inclusive learning environment at the Bajwanya Alya school was fostered by PGDO which in turn resulted in reducing school absenteeism and nurturing children’s creative skills and hobbies.
Combatting Desertification & Expanding Green Areas in Telsqof
Duration: April 2022
Location: Telsqof, Nineveh
Total Beneficiaries: Telskuf primary school for girls: 420, Telskuf primary school for boys: 413, Albshara House for Childhood Kindergarten: 393, & 2 Churches: 650
To contribute to improving the climate, PGDO organized an awareness intervention to combat desertification through widening green areas. PGDO provided around 300 trees to be planted in 2 churches, Albshara House for Childhood Kindergarten, and 2 primary schools for boys and girls. This action encouraged children to plant trees and write their names on a piece of paper hung on them to activate a sense of belonging and self-confidence. The aforementioned reflects a process of building personalities of individuals who want to achieve a healthy future full of ideas related to afforestation, combating desertification, and environmental preservation.
World Environment Day: Ways to Preserve our Planet
Duration: June 2022
Location: Telsqof, Nineveh
Total Beneficiaries: 30 CFW Individuals
30 men and women were enrolled in a cash-for-work program in Telsqof on World Environment Day. On this day, these individuals ensured the planting of around 200 trees, cleaned different public areas, and hung posters that represent ways that can help ensure a clean environment and preserve it. Worth mentioning that this intervention assisted these individuals economically and enhanced their knowledge related to climate change and combatting it.
World Children’s Day: Graduation Celebration of Bait Al Beshara Kindergarten
Duration: June 2022
Location: Telsqof, Nineveh
Total Beneficiaries: 30 children
On World Children’s Day, PGDO came up with an initiative that was organizing a festive graduation celebration for children with the presence of various religious entities, stakeholders, and community members in Telsqof. PGDO selected this area in an attempt to raise the morale of children while providing them with a safe and engaging space and entertaining them through gifts and activities. These children were also provided with the supplies required in their first year of primary school. This action worked towards motivating the communities by ensuring a further sense of belonging. Hence, a vision for a more civilized society that accepts and respects one another regardless of their differences can be created; thus, ensuring peaceful co-existence.
Youth Strategic Planning Workshop & Ways to Move Forward
Duration: August 2022-September 2022
Location: Erbil
Total Beneficiaries: 100 youths
PGDO held strategic planning workshops for 100 youths segregated into groups. The one-day workshop included a range of interactive activities which entailed brainstorming their communities’ needs and suggesting ways to address them. The workshop provided the youth with an opportunity to reflect on their role within their communities. In addition, the youth strategically analyzed their communities and identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The youth contributed to the exchange of ideas, views, and ideas without discrimination on some interventions and projects that if implemented, could create a positive impactful change.
Visits to Muslim, Christian, and Yezidi Religious Leaders
Duration: August 2022
Location: Erbil & Nineveh
Total Beneficiaries: 3 Religious Leaders
PGDO’s team conducted multiple field visits to Muslim, Christian, and Yezidi religious leaders. These visits had a very significant objective in understanding the values that underline each of the aforementioned religions. Through this, PGDO was able to link between the diverse religions and community members as well as recognize actions to be practiced. Worth mentioning that during these visits, various religious challenges were discussed and PGDO’s team brainstormed ways to address and mitigate them in order to promote tolerance, mutual understanding, and respect between all different religions. Noting here that PGDO’s team documented a wide range of potential activities that could be executed for the sake of promoting peace and ensuring social cohesion among community members.
Climate Justice with and for Children
Duration: November 2022-December 2022
Location: Baharka, Erbil
Total Beneficiaries: 300 children
Climate change challenges are disproportionally affecting children and every aspect of their life as they will have to bear the largest share of the burden. Children possess the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health. Worth mentioning that a whole host of other children’s rights are intimately connected to the environment. This is why PGDO has been working on providing environmental awareness sessions to children aged between 6 and 12 years old. PGDO conducted its awareness sessions in the Baharka area. These sessions were conducted with an expert who possesses great interest in children and ways to maintain their well-being and fruitful futures. The sessions focused on promoting critical and creative thinking skills while inspiring children to become further aware of environmental issues and engaged within their communities. The fate of the planet will be in their hands, so they must learn how to use resources wisely and do their bit in the battle against climate change from an early age to live eco-friendly and sustainable lives.
A Road to Sustainable Peace: Initial Discussion
Duration: December 2022
Location: Hamdaniyah Qaraqosh
Total Beneficiaries: 100 youth & 6 religious leaders
PGDO in cooperation with Holy Hussain Shrine and St. Paul House for Church Services and Sunni religious leaders conducted a seminar in the St. Paul House for Church Services in Hamdaniyah, Qaraqosh. This intervention aimed for tackling religious extremism and violence while focusing on social cohesion and peacebuilding. More than 100 youths attended. The main highlight of this discussion was to ensure that these youths are engaged; hence; making them take part in preventing and combatting discrimination, intolerance, and violence on grounds of religion or belief in all its forms. The youth posed very interesting and diverse questions which served as an initial step to building a road toward sustainable peace full of mutual understanding, respect, and tolerance.
Al Rajaa Charity House Elderly Support: Barber Activity
Duration: December 2022
Location: Erbil
Total Beneficiaries: 30 elders
PGDO headed to Al Rajaa Charity House in Erbil and joined the elders for an interesting day full of eventful activities. One of these activities was providing barber efforts to the elderly in the house. The aforementioned served as an action that supported enhancing the quality of life of seniors, perhaps due to their inability to care for themselves independently. The elders portrayed how good they felt about themselves as they were extremely grateful and happy for this effort.
Holiday Clothes Distribution to Children in Qaraqosh
Duration: December 2022
Location: Qaraqosh
Total Beneficiaries: 1,500 children
PGDO targeted 1,500 children and started distributing clothes to each group of 200 children in Qarqosh. For children, receiving gifts is the greatest joy of the holiday season. During this activity, children were shown their happiness and gratitude because they had already enjoyed it and felt their day had been brighter.
Operation Christmas Child
Duration: December 2022
Location: Telkaif & Batnaya
Donor/Partner: Samaritan’s Purse
Total Beneficiaries: 70 children
Under the Operation Christmas Child intervention of Samaritan’s Purse Organization, PGDO distributed gifts to more than 50 children from Batnaya and Telkaif. This action resulted in spreading so much joy and happiness. It served as not only an approach to make children feel special and blessed but also an effective way to teach them about kindness, forgiveness, gratitude, and appreciation.
