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Continuing the Momentum for Positive Change

The reunion allowed the opportunity for students to re-connect with one another, demonstrate how IYLEP has impacted their lives, as well as provide updates on how their lives have changed and developed since their departure from the U.S. last August.

Highlights from the IYLEP Reunion

Issue #2, MaY 31, 2011

AED, with support from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad successfully implemented a four-day conference and reunion for participants of the 2010 Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program. The conference activities were held in Erbil, Iraq on April 28-May 2, 2011. The attendees included AED staff, AED‟s local consultants, and 4 IYLEP university staff, representing Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Massachusetts, Amherst. All were brimming with enthusiasm to greet the 40 of the 48 participants from 2010 who traveled far and wide to participate in the conference; including all 5 students from Basrah! Many of the students had not seen each other since the day they said goodbye, some 8 months earlier.

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2011 The Impact You Made on Our Communities Formal Welcome by AED, Universities, & special guests. Video updates from host universities The Importance of NGO Work in Iraq & Small Changes You Can Do That Make a Big Difference in Your Community Keynote Address by Walid A. Alwan, Iraqi Charities Forum Start Small, Dream Big Select 2009 & 2010 Alumni present on their follow-on activities since their participation in IYLEP Formal Welcome Reception Hosted in the students‟ honor; attendees included Iraqi NGO leaders, local professors, university staff, IYLEP 2009 alumni, as well as other alumni that have participated in U.S. Embassy–sponsored Iraq programs.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011 Embassy Alumni Opportunities Jeffrey Lodermeier, Cultural Affairs Office, Embassy of the United States, Baghdad Scholarship Opportunities Available to Iraqi Students Maha K. Kareem & Maha N. Mahdi, Higher Committee for Education Development (HCED) Applying to Colleges in the US Dr. Mike Hannahan, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Applying What We Have Learned University of Massachusetts, Amherst (Public Policy) and Virginia Commonwealth University (Social Media) alumni meet with their individual institute staff „Pot-Luck‟ style dinner with alumni & their local family members SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2011 Alumni & staff attend full-day cultural excursion and team building day in Rawanduz (scenic mountains & canyons)

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NGO Connections and Opportunities for Volunteerism

“I contacted the Women’s Empowerment Organization that you told me about and they agreed that I will manage their website for the moment and initiate their social media presence. They might ask me to do some other things in the future such as conducting workshops in business and marketing, leadership, or social media. I might also help them in all things related to computers, such as making PowerPoint presentations, training their staff and beneficiaries, and so on. I met with them twice already and they asked me to come in once a week”. (Ali, IYLEP 2010 Alumnus, Erbil)

IYLEP alumni often return to Iraq inspired to apply what they have learned in the U.S. to starting small projects and volunteering in their communities. However, while some have certainly spearheaded amazing initiatives, many often become discouraged by the lack of volunteer opportunities (or knowledge of those opportunities) in their communities. Working to address this need, AED recruited Mr. Walid A. Alwan from Iraqi Charities Forum, a Baghdad-based NGO that acts as an umbrella organization, which in addition to running its own microfinance projects, provides training and advice to NGOs in the area of capacity building. Mr. Alwan provided a keynote address and facilitated conversation on “The Importance of NGO Work in Iraq & Small Changes You Can Do That Make a Big Difference in Your Community.” The discussion focused on the need and importance of NGO work in Iraq and how students can initiate sustainable, realistic change in their home communities. Throughout the reunion, students were encouraged to pursue volunteer work in their communities, as a way to help transfer the knowledge gained in IYLEP to those who need it most. In order to enable the students, AED reached out to numerous Iraqi NGOs based in various governorates, in order to find those that were most interested in receiving IYLEP alumni as volunteers. As a result of those connections made, a resource list was created of volunteer opportunities by governorate, featuring local NGOs in 9 different governorates whom had expressed interest in having IYLEP alumni volunteer in their office or in the field. Given the varied interests and majors of the IYLEP students, an array of organizations and activities that were most relevant to the students were identified and provided at the reunion. Many of the students expressed their enthusiasm for this resource, which identified the appropriate person at each organization to contact for volunteer activities. Such a list is difficult to find in Iraq, as websites often are infrequently updated, and it is difficult to distinguish which NGOs are still active, and which have closed down their operations.

Organizations Featured on the Resource List

Baghdad Women‟s Association

Iraqi Al-Amal Association

Iraqi Charities Forum (ICF)

Harikar NGO

Kurdistan Organization of Animal Rights

Protection (KOARP)

The Iraq Independent Human Rights Society

Women Empowerment Organization (WEO)

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IYLEP Bulletin

Issue #2, May 31, 2011

Students were thrilled for the opportunity to meet with Mr. Jeffrey Lodermeier, with the Cultural Affairs Office at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, who traveled to Erbil to discuss Embassy Alumni Opportunities. The students were very engaged in this discussion, and shared that more than a few of them had already applied for some of the small grants that the Embassy offers to start-up alumni projects, including two student groups whom have already won them. The group also enjoyed a presentation from Maha K. Kareem from the Higher Committee for Education

Development (HCED), who provided information about HCED scholarships for Iraqi students to study in the United States and United Kingdom, and a session on graduate school application and admissions process by Dr. Michael Hannahan, Program Director for the Public Policy Institute at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and former trainer for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad – sponsored Iraq Higher Education Advising Network.

Academic & Professional Growth

Networking & Team Building

A formal welcome reception on Friday evening provided IYLEP students the opportunity to mingle with alumni from other programs and network with a wide range of guests, including Iraqi NGO leaders, local professors and university staff, IYLEP 2009 alumni, as well as other alumni that have participated in U.S. Embassy Baghdad-sponsored programs.

The last day of the conference was reserved for a group excursion and team-building exercise in Rawanduz, a scenic destination in Erbil governorate with waterfalls, mountains, and canyons. For almost all of the southern Iraqis, this was their first time seeing this part of the country.

2010 Alumni from Basrah, Babylon, Erbil, Kirkuk, and Sulaymaniyah spell out I.YL.E.P. during a group excursion to Rawanduz

Zainab, 2010 Alumna from Basrah poses above with Jeffrey Lodermeier from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad

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IYLEP Bulletin

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Impact of IYLEP

While much focus is often given to the impact the IYLEP program has had on its Iraqi participants, and subsequently on their home campuses and communities, it is also noteworthy to recognize the significant mark that these Iraqi young leaders make on the American communities and individuals they interact with while in the U.S. One shining example of the people-to-people connections that have been built through IYLEP is the story of Andrew Spreadbury, a bus driver from Pennsylvania who drove the 2009 IYLEP Public Policy delegation from Washington, D.C. to Amherst, Massachusetts at the beginning of their program. “The sun rose on July 9, 2009 much as it does on any other day, and I was not expecting the events of that day to have a profound impact on my life. What started out as a rather routine sort of day quickly turned into a fascinating, stimulating and life-changing interaction with these fine young people. Although these students and I are separated by so many things, there was something special about that day that forged a friendship and affection between us”.

From that brief initial contact, friendships developed and Andrew kept in touch with several members of the group from Sulaymaniyah. Upon their return to Iraq, alumni told him of their work with the Xanda (Smile) Project, and Andrew conducted several fundraising events through his local church congregation to contribute to the students' efforts.

“They told me about a project they were involved in at Hiwa Hospital. Concerned to encourage very sick children, they were determined to transform a derelict building into a wonderful children‟s play room. It is now a first-class facility that would enhance any hospital in the world”.

In April, 2011, Andrew personally traveled to Sulaymaniyah to visit his now friends and participate in the opening of the children's play center at Hiwa Hospital.

“I was so impressed with these young men and women that I had to go to Sulaymaniyah to see it for myself and learn more about them and their country. So on April 12, 2011 I arrived for a week‟s visit... on the last day of my visit I went to see Hiwa Hospital. The corridors and rooms were full of sick adults and children. As a parent I felt able to identify with those parents whose children lay seriously ill. Although we couldn‟t communicate with words, we shared a common concern and compassion that every parent has when any child is sick. And then we went to the room these students had worked so hard to transform. It is absolutely magnificent! Cheerful bright colors, new furniture, books, toys, games, soft toys, cartoon characters and other resources provide a friendly, safe and fun environment for sick children that is second to none. The finished room testifies to the considerable commitment and thoughtfulness given to this project”.

“And so it was with great regret that I left Sulaymaniyah. I learned so much from being with these students; I cannot speak highly enough of this group of young people. Thank you, IYLEP for the valuable work you are doing. The young people I met are already demonstrating great leadership skills. I count it as one of my greatest privileges to know them and to have visited the Republic of Iraq. They are fine ambassadors” (Andrew Spreadbury).

“Thank you, IYLEP for the valuable work you are doing. The young people I met are already demonstrating great leadership skills. I count it as one of my greatest privileges to know them and to have visited the Republic of Iraq. They are fine ambassadors” (Andrew Spreadbury).

Andrew, left center, visits with IYLEP 2009 alumni Banu, Lanka, and friends in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

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Where Are They Now?

“Xanda (Smile) Project” Banu, Bawan, Guli,

Kazhaw, Lanka, Sham, Shilan, Rezheen, and Vian, all 2009 IYLEP Alumni, who participated in the Public Policy and Science & Technology institutes worked together on this project at Hiwa Hospital in Sulaymaniyah. “Two years ago, we did a charity project for the homeless people in Massachusetts as part of the Public Policy program. We were very happy to ask people for money and food to donate to the Amherst Survival Center; many of us had a feeling that this should happen in Iraq as well. When we came back to Iraq, Guli had a very good idea; she told us to collect money for children who have cancer that live in Hiwa Hospital” (Banu). The group started this project very simplistically; visiting the children in the hospital, bringing them gifts, candies, and having small parties for them, as a way to cheer the children up. “It wasn‟t for buying them medicine…but rather for making them realize that life is not all about painful chemotherapy…but that life also has an unfamiliar part for them, which they are completely unaware of; a smile” (Bawan). After visiting the hospital a couple of times, talking to the children and nurses, the students were able to get a better idea of some of the needs of the hospital and ways that these children‟s lives could be improved. “From this point on, everyone tried to collect money from friends, family, and governmental offices. We collected $12,000 USD total! Not only IYLEP alumni participated, but we also got students from all the universities in Sulaymaniyah to help us collect money for the hospital. Then, we asked some students from the College of Art in Sulaymaniyah University to paint some cartoons and murals on the wall of the hospital, just to make the children smile and give them some happiness. Before Ramadan Eid of 2010, we held a small party for the children in the hospital. We bought cakes, presents, and clothes for them; at least we could make them smile, which was our hope. Our next undertaking was to build a play room for the children in the hospital. We faced many money problems, as we needed to buy the furniture and toys to put inside the room. To solve this problem, we approached a local company to help us, Qiwan Group Company. We had some meetings with them and discussed our project and issues. They were very happy to help us after they knew that we were very excited to help those innocent children; they bought everything that was needed for the building. On March 15th, 2011 we had the official opening day, where we invited all the students and people who donated to the project to attend. Also, the children, their families, and doctors were there as well. The children were very happy to see everything designed nicely just for them. And we finally could see a smile on every single one of the children‟s faces” (Banu).

“Following a trip to the United States, a young girl’s power and strength gets moved and shaken to realize the needs of her

nation”(Bawan, IYLEP 2009 Alumnus, Sulaymaniyah).

Shilan, Kazhaw, Banu, Lanka, Sham, and Guli some of the leaders of the Xanda Project pose for a group photo

The newly-constructed play center at Hiwa Hospital pictured above

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Where Are They Now?

“Visiting the Orphans Project” Helin, a 2010 IYLEP participant in the Public Policy institute recently contributed to a project within

her university‟s Student Union, which she joined after returning to Iraq from her participation in IYLEP last summer. While in the Public Policy institute, Helin gained first-hand experience in fundraising, as she and the other IYLEPers collectively planned, organized, and executed a food drive for the food pantry at the Amherst Survival Center. Below she describes how her project got started. “The project idea, which I volunteered in, was to visit the local orphanage and bring joy to the orphans by presenting them with small gifts and candies in celebration of Christmas and New Years. We came up with this idea during a Student Union meeting at the University of Kurdistan – Hawler (UK-H). The project started with a group of volunteers from UK-H; students from different levels of education, supported by the Student Union. In order for the volunteers to gain financial support from the students and university staff, we put a box for money donations near the cafeteria”.

“In order to promote the project and collect enough money to buy gifts for the orphans, we started to spread the idea of the project and the need for donations by putting posters all around the university and publishing the event on the university‟s Facebook page. With the amount of money that we collected, we bought gifts and candies, and set a date to visit the orphanage. A couple of days before Christmas, 15 student volunteers visited the orphanage. When we first entered the orphanage, all the children came to greet and hug us. It was obvious that they needed to feel love, care and compassion, which they lost. So far we have visited the orphanage twice and we are planning to keep visiting them from time to time and make it a priority activity in the university”(Helin, IYLEP 2010 Alumna).

The day before the IYLEP reunion officially started in Erbil, AED and university staff were able to pay a visit to UK-H, to witness this project in action. On this day, Helin, now head of the Women‟s Affairs Department and leading the project‟s activities at UK-H, and other student volunteers planned a half-day event where approximately 20 children from the orphanage visited the campus for a day of fun and games. Activities included face painting, arts & crafts, and outdoor games. More than 30 UK-H students participated in the highly successful event, including the President of UK-H. Another similar event at the university, with an older age group of children from the orphanage, is planned to occur before the end of the school year in June.

“When we first entered the orphanage, all the children came to greet and hug us. It was obvious that they needed to feel love, care and compassion, which they lost”(Helin, pictured left, IYLEP

2010 Alumna, Erbil).

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IYLEP Bulletin

Issue #2, May 31, 2011

Where Are They Now? Where are They Now?

University Partners

Hadeel, a 2010 IYLEP alumna who participated in the Public Policy Institute was part of a group of students who initiated two projects at her university in order to tie together their studies- Architectural Engineering- with the real-life needs of the persons for whom buildings are constructed to serve. This provided an excellent practical experience for students to observe the impact that building design has on persons with disabilities, and how to best design buildings with society‟s needs in mind. “This project was initiated by the students of the Architectural Engineering Department at the University of Technology-Baghdad. It created a chance for students to think and learn about the different needs of society and have a new perspective on the problems in our community. It gives a clear view of the problems we have and sheds light on the people and their needs on a more personal level. Creating a chance for volunteer work gives both students and professors a chance to help and feel the affect of group work and volunteer work on the community as a whole. By getting a glimpse of a child‟s life in an orphanage and trying to understand the need to personalize the space for him, or by getting inside the complicated world of an autistic child or a disabled person, this allows us to think deeply about innovative ways to design their space and make life easier for them. Our first visit was in February 2011 to Ramy‟s Center for Autistic Children in Baghdad. Students from all the stages in the department gathered along with our professors to prepare for the visit and make all the necessary arrangements. The visit was very successful and a great chance to see the center and its needs and the children and their needs to try to get a different view about their lives. Our second visit took place in March 2011; it was to Al-Sadr Orphanage House in Baghdad, which is a private home. More students volunteered to this visit after the success we had on the first one and so many gifts were donated from our professors as well. It was more like a field trip with a tour, guided by the owners and our professors inside the house to learn about the different spaces that the people need in such a facility. Our next visits will be to another orphanage house and a seniors‟ center in Baghdad. We hope to get more students involved and from different departments of the university too” (Hadeel, IYLEP 2010 Alumna).

Hadeel, a participant in IYLEP 2010’s Public Policy institute poses above with a classmate and child at Ramy’s Center for Autistic Children in Baghdad

Ammar and his colleague, both students from the University of Technology visit with children at the Al-Sadr Orphanage House

“It’s extremely important for an architect to know the needs of society and its problems, up close and personal, so that they can try to find solutions as a future leader in the re-building process”(Hadeel,

IYLEP 2010 Alumna, Baghdad).

“Development Project of the University Community”

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Program Timeline

Meet the Consultants!

Ihsan Alwan is AED‟s local consultant in Baghdad and has been

supporting the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program since 2009. In this role, he conducts in-person interviews for semi-finalists, arranges visa interviews, pre-departure travel, and general program logistics. Ihsan had the opportunity to escort the group of IYLEP students to United States in 2009 and thus was able to have a site visit to both institutes at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and University of Massachusetts, Amherst (UMASS). In addition to working on IYLEP, Ihsan teaches at the University of Baghdad.

“As a teacher, I’ve been unremittingly in contact with students, but only conventionally. But when it comes to IYLEP, it is really an unforgettable and thrilling experience. I’ve gained a lot from the students’ enthusiasm, energy, ambition, and eagerness to learn: almost as much as they excitedly get from the program”.

Bashar Oghanna is AED‟s local consultant operating in Erbil; he supports IYLEP during

semifinalist interviews, conference/reunion activities, pre-departure travel, and general program logistics.

He brings to the position the unique experience of being an IYLEP alumnus himself. In 2009, Bashar participated in the Public Policy institute at UMASS, Amherst; an experience that has deeply impacted his life and inspired his professional and personal activities since.

He has worked in media for more than 6 years, even as he was pursuing a degree and being an active person in his community. Bashar has contributed to civil society through many organizations in Erbil, especially those that are concerned with youth development and civil awareness. He holds a degree in Information Technology from the University of Kurdistan – Hawler.

“I want to help my country, Iraq to be a free, democratic, peaceful and developed country; I would sacrifice anything to make this dream come true and to make my country the best place to live. I wish to reach this goal through team work, youth development, and education”.

Muhammad Al- Maliki is AED‟s local consultant in Basrah; he has supported IYLEP for the

past two years. In addition to his assistance with IYLEP semifinalist interviews, recruitment, and pre-departure logistics, Muhammad teaches at the University of Basrah. He is a researcher of critical thinking, teaching and learning programs, which enhance community views.

His experience includes working with various humanitarian organizations and social programs as a regional coordinator and field officer, bringing about positive social change. He is also a member of several associations, including the Association of Iraqi Translators, Association of Higher Studies at the University of Basrah, and Critical Thinking Community.

Additionally, Muhammad has participated as an Assistant Director and Stage Manager in the production of two plays: Stuck and Waiting for Gilgamesh, which were written by one of his colleagues and have been acted and staged by the students at the university.

“What I have noticed during my career is that this academic-social program is quite essential. It gets to the hearts and minds of those students who most desperately need change; of those who will be most affected by this changing world. The IYLEPers, so to speak, did and will bring about change, new insights and world views to their lives and the lives of others”.