“My name is Ahlam,” begins an outstanding young woman who lives in Iraq and suffers from constant displacement. Her name means ‘dreams’ in Arabic, “but I don’t dream anymore,” she says.

I was sent to meet with Farooq Abdel Wahab, a boy in the 10th grade who bore witness to the violent killing of his brothers and whose remaining family was then forced to leave their home. Unfortunately, Farooq’s psychological state was much too fragile following the tragic events his family has had to endure.

Thamir then said, “Do you know that whenever my children go to school in the afternoon and they have a test the second day they all fail even though they are hardworking students?”  When asked why this happened, Thamir replied, “We don’t have money to buy oil for the lamp.”

“My husband was a giving man,” she says through sobs, “he used to help everyone; he used to deduct part of the family’s income in order to give a share to the orphans and the poor. He did not hesitate to give or help anyone.”