At Hasansham camp in Iraq, eleven-year-old Amira lies perfectly still and silent on a mattress, moving only to brush away the flies that buzz erratically above her head. When Handicap International’s physical therapist, Mohammad, arrives for her rehabilitation session, she keeps her eyes firmly shut and refuses to speak to him. It takes a little while for Mohammad to set her mind at ease and gain her trust.

“I meet a lot of children like Amira,” explains Mohammad. “Some are still deeply traumatized by what they’ve been through over the last few years. Others suffer too, but from their injuries alone. They’re frightened that the physical therapy exercises are going to hurt. The first sessions are the most important part of my work because the children need to see me as their ally, someone who’s going to help them recover with time.”

Amira finally opens her eyes, a shy smile crossing her face. Mohammad manages to convince her to do a few movements to assess the seriousness of her condition. Because her leg still hurts, she finds the exercises difficult. “She should have recovered a long time ago,” explains Mohammad. “It doesn’t take that long for a broken leg to heal. But Amira can’t even walk. What made things much worse was the fact that she wasn’t given proper care for so long.” 

Amira’s father, Hamid supports her as she stands, trying to walk with the crutches given to her by Handicap International. “It’s only the second time in three months she has stood on two legs,” he says. “Amira’s muscles and tendons are still badly affected,” adds Mohammad. “And her foot is now seriously deformed. But we’re going to carry on with the exercises so she can walk. First, with the crutches and then, at some point, without mobility aids.” 

Although Amira was injured in March, she was just given the proper treatment until June, when she reached the camp. “We were at home when we were hit by a missile,” her father says. “One of the walls fell on top of Amira and she was seriously injured. We were taken to Mosul Hospital and stayed there for a few days, but the care was really basic. Then we stayed in the city for three more months. We were under siege and couldn’t escape. We were all living in a small room without food or water, waiting for an opportunity to flee. Imagine living for three months like that.” 

At the end of her physical therapy session, Mohammad adds: “I’m also going to ask my psychologist colleague to meet Amira. It’s essential she overcomes her fears and that her family understands why their support is an important part of her recovery.” As Amira sits back down, she turns to Mohammad and asks: “And you, when are you coming to see me again for another session?”

Mosul emergency: Fighting between armed groups and government forces in Iraq in recent years has displaced more than three million people. An estimated 11 million civilians already need humanitarian assistance in the country. The Mosul offensive has presented international organizations with an unprecedented challenge. More than 485,000 people have fled the city since last October.

Handicap International and the Iraqi crisis: More than 200,000 people have benefited from Handicap International’s actions since the launch of its emergency operations in Iraq in 2014. Our actions are regularly reviewed to take into account a highly volatile situation across the whole of Iraqi territory. Handicap International currently organizes population protection activities, raises awareness of the risk from mines and conventional weapons, conducts non-technical surveys and clears potentially hazardous areas, provides physical and functional rehabilitation and psychosocial support, supports health centers, organizes training and advocacy, and provides technical support to partners to enhance the inclusion of vulnerable people (people with disabilities, casualties, older people, and others) within their services.

Handicap International, along with 27 other NGOs working together to provide assistance and protection for civilians affected by the conflict in Iraq, share the following concerns and recommendations in advance of the meeting of the coalition to counter ISIL in Washington, D.C.

Considerations for protecting civilians and ensuring access to assistance during military operations

First and foremost, as required by international humanitarian law, we remind all armed actors of their responsibility to protect civilian life and civilian objects and ensure access to life-saving assistance for those caught up in ongoing and future military offensives in Iraq.

Since the beginning of the military operations to counter ISIL, civilians trapped under siege-like conditions in areas such as Ramadi, Fallujah, and Mosul have experienced extreme risks from starvation, use as human shields and death at the hands of ISIL snipers, and relentless coalition and Iraqi airstrikes and artillery barrages.

Although the city of Mosul has been declared ‘retaken’ by the Iraqi government, civilians are still not out of harm’s way. As seen in east Mosul, it could take weeks for Iraqi forces to regain full control over the city, and longer still for explosive hazards to be cleared. Even then, ISIL sleeper cells are likely to persist, and attacks—like those seen in previously retaken areas of Mosul— continue to threaten the lives of civilians.

As military action continues, coalition and partner forces must exercise distinction, proportion, and precautionii in their operations across the country, while protecting civilians and facilitating their access to safety. In addition, it is imperative that any measures by actors to facilitate access to safety for civilians do not put them at further risk of harm—such as the use of banned weapons, white phosphorous, and explosive weapons in populated areas; inadequate communication on available options of safe routes and areas; or inability to guarantee and maintain genuine safety.

Coalition and partner forces must also apply these principles in the expected offensives in Hawija, Tal Afar, and western Anbar. Civilian protection and access to assistance must be prioritized in the planning and implementation of military operations, and the role of impartial humanitarian organizations and their operational space must be respected by all armed actors. The needs are severe for those who have already fled and for the approximately 150,000 civiliansiii thought to be trapped in these areas. These populations will need support, not distrust, after surviving years of living under ISIL. It is therefore critical that military actors liaise with the humanitarians working on the ground to ensure assistance is accessible and that protection concerns are properly monitored and addressed.

We are gravely concerned by reports that civilians are experiencing further protection risks and human rights abuses by armed actors on all sides of the conflict, including sexual exploitation and abuse, confiscation of documentation, child recruitment, discrimination or exclusion from entitlements, eviction, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, disappearance, execution, and different forms of collective punishment. We strongly urge all parties in the conflict to refrain from perpetrating, allowing, or ignoring other actors’ use of excessive force, abuse of power, or any action that violates Iraqi civilians’ human rights, regardless of real or perceived ISIL-affiliation. Such abuses not only harm civilians, but serve to underscore historical grievances and undercut prospects for reconciliation.

Considerations for prioritizing investment in inclusive recovery and reconciliation efforts

We cannot wait for the military offensives to conclude before we start planning for, and investing in the future of Iraq. We urge coalition partners and the international community to consider the ongoing assistance and protection needs which will remain beyond the military campaign. It is critical that early recovery and resilience initiatives are prioritized now by donors, humanitarian and development actors, and international and local leadership.

One third of Iraq’s population, 11 million people, are anticipated to require humanitarian assistance in 2017. Current funding levels are inadequate to meet even the prioritized needs, as evidenced by the Humanitarian Response Plan which is only 42% fundediv. Ensuring sustained funding so that civilians have access to principled assistance and protection during the current conflict and its immediate aftermath will greatly contribute to the longer-term recovery and reconciliation of communities.

Civilians across Iraq in areas already retaken from ISIL continue to experience protracted, secondary, and tertiary displacement. Over 1.75 million people are still displaced in center-south governorates in Iraq, and even in areas where ISIL has been gone for over a year, the conditions for safe and voluntary returns are still not being met. Remaining insecurity; lack of basic services; explosive hazards contamination; and damage to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure— including schools and hospitals—all continue to pose barriers to return. In spite of these conditions, some civilians have experienced pressure to return to their areas of origin, while others have been prevented from returningvi . We call on Iraqi leadership, with support from the international community, to develop and implement an inclusive durable solutions framework, which supports safe, voluntary, informed, and dignified returns, and provides for local integration solutions for displaced families who are unwilling or unable to return to their areas of origin.

Further, Iraqi authorities, local institutions, and community leaders must work together to enhance social cohesion by facilitating peaceful co-existence between communities and equitable access to resources and safety for all Iraqis. We encourage the development of a defined strategy for governance and reconciliation which clearly addresses the root causes of conflict, such as human rights violations, political exclusion, economic marginalization and discrimination, land and governance disputes, and lack of accountability. It is critical that any such strategy includes the full participation of women, youth, and minority groups.

We must work collectively to rebuild communities, not just infrastructurevii . All recovery, reconciliation, and long-term support initiatives should actively engage civil society to enable selfreliance and contribute to the resilience of all Iraqis in their chosen locations. Ensuring inclusivity is critical to the sustainability of every effort towards recovery and peace.

Signatories:

1. Action Against Hunger
2. Afkar Society for Development and Relief
3. Alind Organization
4. Alkhair Humanitarian Organization
5. Al-Amal Association
6. ASB
7. Christian Aid
8. Education for Peace in Iraq Center (EPIC)
9. AL- Eslah Association for Social Development
10. Handicap International
11. Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V.
12. Human Relief Foundation
13. The International Rescue Committee
14. Médecins du Monde
15. Mercy Corps
16. Mission East
17. Norwegian Refugee Council
18. Oxfam
19. PAX
20. Peace and Freedom Organization (PFO)
21. Première Urgence Internationale
22. Al- Rakeezeh Foundation for Relief and Development (RRD)
23. REACH Organization- Iraq
24. Representative of Nineveh Voluntary for IDPs (RNVDO)
25. Save the Children
26. Welthungerhilfe (WHH)
27. World Vision International
28. Zhian Health Organization (ZHO)

As the Iraqi authorities announced the end of the battle in Mosul on Sunday, July 9, Handicap International is worried about the aftermath and the immense trauma that the civilian populations experienced during nine months of intense battle. Since the beginning of the offensive, in October 2016, more than one million people have been displaced. Two weeks ago, forces launched the final assault on the old city, where hundreds of thousands of civilians were still trapped.

Intense fighting

"The fighting has been very intense and civilians have faced an extremely risky situation," says Elisa Fourt, Project Manager for Handicap International in Iraq. "There are several reports of thousands of people who have been used as human shields. Hundreds more were shot when they tried to flee the conflict. In cooperation with other humanitarian actors, we try every day to help the wounded who are still arriving in hospitals. And we also intervene with the displaced population in the camps, among whom are a large number of people in need of rehabilitation care. More than 15,000 civilians have been wounded since the start of the offensive (people referred to the hospital) and thousands more were killed in the fighting.”

Malnutrition and trauma

"A number of civilians who have managed to escape the city also suffer from malnutrition and are in a state of extreme fatigue,” Fourt adds. “Our teams work with many people who are in a state of psychosocial distress in the face of what they have experienced in recent months. Some witnessed scenes of torture, crimes and survived in extremely difficult conditions."

Handicap International has deployed field psychologists for the most severe cases of trauma. Of the 800,000 internally displaced Iraqis who remain in the camps, many civilians have lost their homes and are so traumatized that they are not considering returning at this stage.

Increase in returns

In addition to assisting the displaced, the association also intervenes to help civilians who have already made the decision to resettle in Mosul. Since the start of the offensive, more than 200,000 civilians have already returned to their neighborhoods. This trend is likely to increase in the coming weeks come.

"More and more people are deciding to go home,” Fourt notes. “Living conditions in the camps are particularly difficult: it is very hot, there is still no electricity, so there are many displaced people who choose to return, despite the risks. Explosive remnants of war still very present throughout the city. We are raising awareness of the dangers of explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices, so that they can identify and protect themselves when they’re back in Mosul and surrounding areas."

To support Handicap International's work in Iraq, click here. 

Nader is holding a big package as he approaches a family’s tent in Khazer camp, Iraq, home to tens of thousands displaced Iraqis from Mosul. This is the second time that the Handicap International physical therapist has visited the family, which includes six-year-old Mawada, who has cerebral palsy.

“When I met Mawada last week, she was having problems getting around the camp, because of her condition,” Nader says. “So I’ve brought her a walker to help.” Mawada and her family have lived in the camp since November, when they fled their home in Mosul. 

Her mother, Marwa, is still distressed by her daughter’s condition.“She was just 26 weeks old when she was born,” she explains. “Mawada didn’t get enough oxygen when I was giving birth, and that affected her brain. When we realized what our daughter was suffering from, I couldn’t stop crying and my husband was really shaken.” 

They were told that Mawada would never walk like other children. “We immediately arranged physical therapy sessions to make sure she was as mobile as possible.” She also underwent six surgeries to correct the alignment of her legs. “Until we fled Mosul, Mawada was attending rehabilitation sessions twice a week. We had even bought her a walker with wheels and she used it all the time to move around. But in November, we had to leave in a hurry and forgot everything.”

Having escaped Mosul on foot with their four children, Marwa and her husband explained how hard fleeing was on the family. “We had to take turns carrying Mawada and bombs were exploding everywhere.” 

Today, Nader is teaching Mawada’s parents how to do simple rehabilitation exercises with her. Mawada enjoys the exercises and she’s clearly excited by the idea of walking again. She’s a very determined girl. “She helps me a lot with daily tasks around the camp. She is really smart too. She doesn’t go to school yet, but she can already count.” Watching as her daughter takes a few steps with her new walker, Marwa says, “Our greatest hope is for Mawada to grow up like other girls her age, to have an education, and to be able to move around in the camp as she pleases. We just want her to be happy.”

Mosul emergency: Fighting between armed groups and government forces in Iraq in recent years has displaced more than three million people. An estimated 11 million civilians already need humanitarian assistance in the country. The Mosul offensive has presented international organizations with an unprecedented challenge. More than 485,000 people have fled the city since last October.

Handicap International and the Iraqi crisis: More than 200,000 people have benefited from Handicap International’s actions since the launch of its emergency operations in Iraq in 2014. Our actions are regularly reviewed to take into account a highly volatile situation across the whole of Iraqi territory. Handicap International currently organizes population protection activities, raises awareness of the risk from mines and conventional weapons, conducts non-technical surveys and clears potentially hazardous areas, provides physical and functional rehabilitation and psychosocial support, supports health centers, organizes training and advocacy, and provides technical support to partners to enhance the inclusion of vulnerable people (people with disabilities, casualties, older people, and others) within their services.

“I’m a shepherd,” Hameed says. “Never in my life did I imagine losing a leg.” On a quiet day in April, Hameed was putting his herd into the field to graze when he came across a petrol can on the road. “I wanted to push it to the roadside, but it exploded the moment my foot touched it. I fell to the ground and saw my leg cut in two.”

Hameed didn't know that the can was an improvised explosive device (IED), one of many that contaminates areas of Iraq. “The area where I live is littered with explosive remnants of war, and I knew that, but the entire country is contaminated. There was no way I could stop working.”

With support from Handicap International’s rehabilitation team at Qayyarah Hospital in Iraq, Hameed has been working hard to recover after having his leg and thumb amputated. Today, that hard work has paid off as he’s getting ready to leave the hospital and return to his family. 

Before he leaves, Hameed has another rehabilitation session with Handicap International’s physical therapist Khaled, who’s been by his side since the beginning. “The day I met Hameed, he was in really bad shape,” Khaled explains. “I did some exercises with him right away to strengthen and stretch his muscles. I also wanted to motivate him again. I showed him how to tie his bandages too. After a few days, I noticed improvements in his outlook and physical condition.”

Khaled stresses the importance of follow-up care for Hameed. “He needs to come back for regular check-ups to make sure his stump is healing properly. It’s vital if he’s going to be fitted with a prosthesis one day. He’s young, active and sporty, so I’m not too worried about him, but I want to make sure he continues doing his physical therapy exercises. If he follows my advice, he may even be able to walk without crutches,” he adds. 

Hameed is committed to keeping up with his exercises and tells our team that he finds their advice very useful. “I’m determined to work again and to regain my former life,” he says. “And I’ll be more careful about the dangers around my village in the future.” 

Mosul emergency: Fighting between armed groups and government forces in Iraq in recent years has displaced more than three million people. An estimated 11 million civilians already need humanitarian assistance in the country. The Mosul offensive has presented international organizations with an unprecedented challenge. More than 485,000 people have fled the city since last October.

Handicap International and the Iraqi crisis: More than 200,000 people have benefited from Handicap International’s actions since the launch of its emergency operations in Iraq in 2014. Our actions are regularly reviewed to take into account a highly volatile situation across the whole of Iraqi territory. Handicap International currently organizes population protection activities, raises awareness of the risk from mines and conventional weapons, conducts non-technical surveys and clears potentially hazardous areas, provides physical and functional rehabilitation and psychosocial support, supports health centers, organizes training and advocacy, and provides technical support to partners to enhance the inclusion of vulnerable people (people with disabilities, casualties, older people, and others) within their services.

“I hope she doesn’t remember it,” Widad says of her six-month-old daughter while speaking to our teams about her accident in April. “She’s my only child. My husband and I tried for children for six years before she was born. I don’t know if I will be able to have any more after what happened to me.”

In April, Widad’s family and 20 others from their neighborhood managed to escape the rubble of their homes in Mosul after they were struck by bombs. “We were sick with fear. We were trying to stay alive and get out of the city, and then I stepped on a mine.”

“When it went off, I threw the baby into the air to protect her. Fortunately, she only suffered minor injures. I wish I could say the same for others who were with us. My uncle died right in front of my eyes, a little girl too. And I suffered serious leg injuries.” Following the accident, doctors amputated the young mother’s right leg. Today, Widad receives rehabilitation care from Handicap International.”

Salam, a physical therapist from Handicap International pays her regular visits, helping her adjust to her new condition. “I’m doing all I can to make sure Widad can be fitted with a prosthesis one day,” he says. “I do daily exercises with her, mainly to strengthen her muscles.

Widad appears to be highly motivated and puts a lot of effort into the exercises Salam has shown her. “The day I get a new leg is the day I’ll get my life and my hope back,” she says with a smile. Aware of the challenges that lie ahead, Salam tries to temper the young mother’s expectations. “Widad thinks she needs this prosthesis to live, but she’s a very strong woman and she doesn’t need to wait to be fitted with a prosthesis to move forward. There are so many amputees, it could take a long time. I’m trying really hard to make her understand that she can do a lot, even with one leg. In the meantime, I still try to ensure she has every chance of being fitted with a prosthesis one day, by doing these exercises.”

Salam gives Wildad a walker from Handicap International and encourages her to do the rest of the physical therapy session outside of her hospital room. As they move down the hospital corridor, she shares her fears for the future. “When I leave the hospital I’m going to join my husband in a displaced persons camp. I can’t go back to Mosul. We’ve lost everything there: our home, our car. The entire neighborhood was flattened. 

“Some of my relatives are still in the city and I talk to them sometimes. They say there’s constant bombing. Some people can’t even flee. The doors of their homes have been sealed and they’re trapped. We were lucky to escape and survive. I’ve also heard of people who return home and die because their homes are littered with explosive remnants of war. I’m not going to take that risk. I’m too scared for my daughter.”

To protect civilians who choose to go home, Handicap International is teaching them about the explosive remnants of war they may encounter in their neighborhoods. So far, our teams have raised the awareness of more than a thousand civilians and will do the same for several thousands more in the months ahead. 

Mosul emergency: Fighting between armed groups and government forces in Iraq in recent years has displaced more than three million people. An estimated 11 million civilians already need humanitarian assistance in the country. The Mosul offensive has presented international organizations with an unprecedented challenge. More than 485,000 people have fled the city since last October.

Handicap International and the Iraqi crisis: More than 200,000 people have benefited from Handicap International’s actions since the launch of its emergency operations in Iraq in 2014. Our actions are regularly reviewed to take into account a highly volatile situation across the whole of Iraqi territory. Handicap International currently organizes population protection activities, raises awareness of the risk from mines and conventional weapons, conducts non-technical surveys and clears potentially hazardous areas, provides physical and functional rehabilitation and psychosocial support, supports health centers, organizes training and advocacy, and provides technical support to partners to enhance the inclusion of vulnerable people (people with disabilities, casualties, older people, and others) within their services.

“On April 20, fighters came to get us and used us as human shields,” Sarah’s father explains. “Sarah and I were taken to a room in what looked like a deserted house. Suddenly there was a big explosion. I didn’t know whether it came from a tank or aircraft. All I can remember is the pain and the blood. I got an eye wound and Sarah was injured in the leg.

Sarah and her father were first taken to Mosul General Hospital, where she had surgery due to a fracture in her leg. “We fled the city as soon as we could,” he says. “We passed by three different hospitals before we came here.”

Today, Handicap International teams in Iraq are providing support to Sarah through rehabilitation care at Hamdanyiah Hospital. Salam, a physical therapist with Handicap International visits her regularly to help aid in her recovery.

When Salam arrives at Sarah’s hospital room, he sees her dozing, stretched out on her bed. The doctors are helping manage the dull pain in her leg with medication. Her father stands by her side throughout the physical therapy session and patiently urges her to do her best.

The father and former English teacher tells our team about their plans for the future. “We’re going back to Mosul once my daughter has fully recovered. We left our entire lives behind, not just our home. Almost none of the children have been to school since 2014, including Sarah.

"When the schools reopen, I want to start teaching again. It’s really important, both for me and our children’s future. Sarah’s really bright and loves to draw and learn. I want to do everything I can to make sure what’s happened to us never happens again.” 

Mosul emergency: Fighting between armed groups and government forces in Iraq in recent years has displaced more than three million people. An estimated 11 million civilians already need humanitarian assistance in the country. The Mosul offensive has presented international organizations with an unprecedented challenge. More than 485,000 people have fled the city since last October.

Handicap International and the Iraqi crisis: More than 200,000 people have benefited from Handicap International’s actions since the launch of its emergency operations in Iraq in 2014. Our actions are regularly reviewed to take into account a highly volatile situation across the whole of Iraqi territory. Handicap International currently organizes population protection activities, raises awareness of the risk from mines and conventional weapons, conducts non-technical surveys and clears potentially hazardous areas, provides physical and functional rehabilitation and psychosocial support, supports health centers, organizes training and advocacy, and provides technical support to partners to enhance the inclusion of vulnerable people (people with disabilities, casualties, older people, and others) within their services.

“The city was under constant attack and I wanted to take my children to safety,” explains Husein. “We walked out in the middle of the night so that no one would see us. I held my mother’s hand, because she has problems walking, while carrying Zeidan on my back. We had a really rough time getting here.”

Now living at Hasansham camp in Iraqi Kurdistan, where tens of thousands of displaced people have taken refuge since the start of the Mosul offensive, Husein tells our team about his son, Zeidan.

“He was born prematurely,” he says. “Zeidan was in an incubator for the first ten days of his life. We were worried and asked doctors what was wrong with him. One of them told us that part of his brain had been lacking oxygen, and that he was suffering from a mild form of cerebral palsy.”

Until meeting Handicap International, five-year-old Zeidan never had rehabilitation care. Today, Zeidan meets with our team: Mohamad, a physical therapist and Diana, a social worker.

Husein watches as Mohamad helps Zeidan with his exercises. “I’d do anything for him,” he says. "I can’t help but worry about his future. I love him so much.” Zeidan’s father explains that he wants his son to go to school, but that the camp isn’t adapted to his needs. “I really want him to learn."

Zeidan watches his little brother Alawi playing alongside him. “You must go to school,” the little boy says softly, with a broad grin on his face. “If I manage to get a backpack, I’ll even go with you myself. It’s really important.” Zeidan is eager to learn and wants to reassure his father that he’ll be ok. He has a positive outlook on life and is full of hope.

“Handicap International is going to give them mobility devices to make Zeidan’s life easier,” Mohamad explains. “I also want to teach his parents how to do rehabilitation exercises with him, so they’ll know how to help their son when they return home.”

Zeidan gives the physical therapist a high five and laughs. He’s already looking forward to their next visit.

Mosul emergency: Fighting between armed groups and government forces in Iraq in recent years has displaced more than three million people. An estimated 11 million civilians already need humanitarian assistance in the country. The Mosul offensive has presented international organizations with an unprecedented challenge. More than 485,000 people have fled the city since last October.

Handicap International and the Iraqi crisis: More than 200,000 people have benefited from Handicap International’s actions since the launch of its emergency operations in Iraq in 2014. Our actions are regularly reviewed to take into account a highly volatile situation across the whole of Iraqi territory. Handicap International currently organizes population protection activities, raises awareness of the risk from mines and conventional weapons, conducts non-technical surveys and clears potentially hazardous areas, provides physical and functional rehabilitation and psychosocial support, supports health centers, organizes training and advocacy, and provides technical support to partners to enhance the inclusion of vulnerable people (people with disabilities, casualties, older people, and others) within their services.

While lying in his hospital bed, Baker turns to his father and mutters softly, “It hurts, dad. It really hurts.” Just a few days prior to March 21, nine-year-old Baker was playing in the streets with his friends in Mosul when they were hit by a bomb. Baker lost both of his legs.

“Will my legs grow back?” Baker asks Karam, a psychosocial worker with Handicap International. Since his accident, Baker has been in a stake of shock and still has pain. The painkillers don’t keep him from thinking about what happened. “He still hasn’t accepted the situation,” Karam explains. “Baker tells me that he’s been having a lot of nightmares.” 

Handicap International works in Hamdanyiah and Qayyarah, two hospitals on the outskirts of Mosul, providing patients with rehabilitation care. In addition to providing Baker with psychosocial support, our teams are providing him with physical therapy so he can soon be fitted for prostheses. 

“I’ve visited Baker every day since he arrived at the hospital,” says Fatima, a Handicap International physical therapist. “I use our sessions to help him get used to his situation. It’s going to take him time to accept it, but I’m hopeful. Baker is still a child and children usually find it easier to adapt.”

Fatima blows up a balloon for Baker to use for his session. The physical therapist wants him to understand that he can still move around, laugh, and play, despite his new condition. “I love playing and studying,” Baker says. Baker hasn’t been able to attend school for the past two years, since the Islamic State group captured the city. “When I grow up I want to be an architect,” he says. “I want to rebuild all of the houses that have been destroyed and help people.” 

During his session, Baker shares his hopes with our team. He dreams of being able to walk and stand tall one day. He wants to go back to Mosul and see his friends. But for the moment, his greatest wish is to be in less pain.