Yousif, 10, used to live happily with his father, mother and three brothers in Baghdad. But like many other Iraqis, tragedy hit Yousif’s family in March 2007 and life has not been the same since.

A loving environment  

Yousif’s family lived in an old, rundown house owned by his father’s family. It is poorly ventilated and has no sanitation facilities so stagnant sewage water filled the surrounding area. Despite their poverty, the family loved each other very much and lived in a happy and caring environment.

Yousif’s father worked as a shopkeeper in one of Baghdad’s markets. He sold household goods and was helped by Yousif’s three eldest brothers.

Fleeing to Syria

One day, in a city where violence has become commonplace, Yousif’s father was threatened and he believed that his and his family’s lives were at risk.

Yousif’s father rushed home and asked his wife and children to pack all essential items. He had decided that they had to flee to Syria to protect themselves.

Yousif’s father was not the first Iraqi to make this decision. More than 2 million people have fled the instability in Iraq, heading for neighbouring countries like Syria and Jordan. Syria is now home to around 1.4 million Iraqis.

Fatal Accident

As the family crossed the Iraq-Syria border they were involved in a fatal car crash. Yousif’s father died at the scene of the accident and three of the boys were seriously injured. The eldest son suffered a head injury, the middle son is unable to speak after suffering from lingual trauma, whilst Yousif fractured his legs, leaving him unable to move.

Yousif and his brothers received medical treatment immediately. Yousif underwent complex surgery that involved fitting fifteen platinum plates into his legs. He is now unable to walk unaided or even stand up by himself and has to use a walking-frame.

Back in Iraq

High cost of living in Syria forced Yousif and his family to return to Iraq after around 3 months.
                          
Although Yousif’s mother takes care of him, he has been deeply affected by his father’s death. “He is very sensitive,” says Islamic Relief orphans officer in Iraq, “when I talked to him his eyes filled with tears.”

She remembers what he was like before the accident, “When he attended the Eid party organised by IR he was outgoing and enjoyed playing with other children.”

Now Yousif spends most of his days alone in bed. He feels like he has lost many important aspects of his life – his father, his friends and his education.

Sponsorship

The loss of the family breadwinner has plunged Yousif’s family deeper into poverty. His mother has started working as a baker but she earns too little to cover the cost of household necessities and the medical treatment that her sons need.

Islamic Relief runs an orphans sponsorship programme in Iraq. Yousif is now being sponsored by a donor from the USA. With this extra support, his mother will now be able to afford the medical treatment her sons need.

Each sponsored orphan receives the educational, health and psychological support they need, enabling them to find some stability in a country that has been torn apart by conflict.

Please visit alyateem.com to sponsor an Iraqi orphan today..