Baghdad, Iraq - Recent

Storyline:
Poverty, war, terrorist attacks and disease have caused one in six children in Iraq to lose at least one of their parents. An aid institution in the Iraqi capital is working to create a more hopeful future for the orphans.

The Dar Al-Nour for Orphan Care and Rehabilitation in Baghdad provides the orphaned children with not only a living space, but also access to education and nutritious meals, which is a luxury in a country where families without both parents, especially without a father, often suffer economic hardship.

Iraqi law does not allow adoptions, which means extended family members or close friends must step in, a burden which not all can afford and one this center hopes to make easier.

As a privately funded institution, the center has many times come close to shutting down due to costs. Liqaa Al-Aboudi believes that the government should do more to help fund such institutions, both for the sake of the country and the children.

In addition to providing food and clothing, the main focus at the center is to provide education in the hope that the children will have a good future. Muhammad is one of the volunteers who offer classes for the children. An orphan himself, he now teaches English at the center.

While war is one of the reasons why so many orphans need help, there are simpler causes as well, such as heart attacks, which means although the country has not suffered as much sectarian violence as before, the need for these care centers is going to continue.

For students who don't make it into such institutions, the alternative can be stark - child labor is rife, and without attending school, those children usually end up struggling for the rest of their lives.

The center would like to expand to cater for more of Iraq's 3 million orphaned children, but has been unable to meet its maximum capacity for years. Still, these children have a good shot at a future.

Shotlist:
Baghdad, Iraq - Recent:
1. Various of children in orphanage having breakfast;
2. Various of orphanage staff frying eggs;
3. Various of children having breakfast;
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic, dubbed in English) Liqaa Al-Aboudi, director, Dar Al-Nour for Orphan Care and Rehabilitation:
"Most of the children have lived tough life, lacking culture and proper communication. We manage to teach them culture, communication, proper behavior, true faith, and good values. We try to teach them to be a conscious generation. They are the future, God willing."
5. Children having breakfast;
6. Various of children sitting next to table;
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic, dubbed in English) Liqaa Al-Aboudi, director, Dar Al-Nour for Orphan Care and Rehabilitation:
"I have appealed to the government several times and made requests via all channels. We need a venue for the orphans to have a more organized and spacious place with more rooms. We receive many orphans who want to join the home but can't due to space. The orphans' situation in Iraq is very dire, but unfortunately, no one cares for them."
8. Various of volunteer teaching orphaned children English;
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Muhammad, English teacher:
"I feel proud because I help these people. They don't have any money, or any pay (money) for the teaching."
10. Various of orphaned children writing notes in textbooks, having class;
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) orphaned child (name not given):
"I dream to be a doctor. Here at the house they provide us with clothes and food and drink, we are also learning, and thank god we passed this year."
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) orphaned child (name not given):
"I love reading books and I also love to do hairdressing."
13. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) orphaned child (name not given):
"My father told me when you grow up I want you to be a military officer, and I want to make the dream of my dad come true."
14. Volunteer teaching orphaned children English;
15. Various of orphaned children writing notes in textbooks.

[Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]