In post-ISIS Iraq about two million people are internally displaced. The Shariya camp in Duhok alone harbours thousands of Yezidis who have fled the forces of ISIS. In total, this camp accommodates 20000 people, at least 9000 of whom are children.

There is for instance 8-year old Rizgar, who came back from captivity speaking English fluently. He was kidnapped by ISIS and taken by an American ISIS family. When he returned, he appeared to have unlearned his mother tongue, because of the trauma he experienced.

Soleen too was affected by captivity. She is 10 years old and was among the top students in her class. Whilst being held captive for 2,5, she was mistreated by her adoptive parents, who she came to believe were her real parents. Some of her family is still missing.

These children might be physically free but mentally they are still in captivity. Rizgar, Soleen and hundreds of kids just like them are waiting for proper psychological and educational attention. To give them any chance to be freed from the indoctrinated ideology, they need trauma care.

Panaga NGO, Maggie Program and DMOA architects want to combine forces and create opportunities for these children in need.

Maggie goes to Yezidibuilding an educational centre to help kids heal from war trauma

Panaga + Maggie Program vzw + DMOAMay 2019, Iraq

“The stories of these child survivors are traumatic, heart

wrenching and seemingly impossible to understand.”

dr. Michelle Sanderstrauma psychologist

What is Panaga NGO?

Panaga is an independent, locally run, non-profit, and non-governmental organisation, led by Zirak Hameed, that makes an effort to develop and provide educational services in Kurdistan in general, and particularly in the Duhok governorate. (panago.org)

They commit themselves to organise the support of the children in the camp through therapeutic programs of art, drama, play therapy and pop-up schools. Unfortunately, there are no proper educational spaces and the infrastructure that is available is unsafe.

What is Maggie Program NPO?

The Maggie program represents a comprehensive approach in providing access to health, education and perspective for displaced and disadvantaged people worldwide, by offering European knowledge of building techniques and innovation.

The aim is to work through small-scale construction projects and bring innovative solutions to hard-to-reach or conflict areas. Originating from their Maggie shelter innovation, the Maggie Program forms the non-profit department of DMOA architects.

Who are DMOA architects and engineers?

After innovating the Maggie Shelter, DMOA architects today supports humanitarian actors through sharing building skills and new insights that lead to innovation.

The Maggie shelter is a building that looks like a tent but has the virtues of a fixed structure, the design is based on 30 lifesaving criteria. It consists of an easy to assemble aluminum frame, wrapped in a double layer of canvas. These walls and the roof can then be filled up with materials that are locally available, like insulation, sand, organic materials and even stray plastic. It thus becomes a sustainable, adaptable, insulated and upgradable solution with a life-span of over 15 years.

needed allowed

tent structure with properties of building

&

each projecta collaboration

Given proper accommodation children in the Shariya camp can develop intellectually and emotionally through the works of Panaga. The design of the project therefore started from a very concrete brief and needs assessment Panaga offered, involving traditional classrooms, as well as spaces for art therapy purposes and some multipurpose practical spaces.

The result is a setup with 4 Maggie shelters (around 40 and 50 square meters) and 2 containers (12 square meters), with a total inner surface area of 203 square meters.

These spaces will provide adequate classes for the children in the Shariya camp to heal, to play, to live in a real community. These semi-permanent structures are the Yezidis’ only chance at the moment, because it is very difficult for minorities to buy land in the surrounding area and their homelands are destroyed and still unsafe.

class class

art

drama toilets

storageconsult

kitchen

officeoffice

garden yard

The Project ‘Maggie goes to Yezidi’

“The Yezidis live in inhumane conditions. The lucky ones live in tents, but the winter is harsh

and the tents are leaking and full of mud.”dr. Michelle Sanderstrauma psychologist

Maggie classroom

In each project, the Maggie Program combines the use of the Maggie shelter with a carefully considered innovation, to tackle specific challenges in the particular project environment. These solutions become part of the innovative possibilities of the Maggie shelter and can be further used in the whole humanitarian aid context.

A known danger in the Kurdistan region and the Shariya camp is the traditional use of kerosene stoves for cooking as well as for heating. The large amount of safety concerns is clear. These accommodations are fire hazards. People living here are at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning and around 60 to 70 percent of them already suffers from lung problems.

By using a low tech, plug & play, floor heating system (with water) in the Maggie classes, the stove is removed from the crowded areas. Instead it is pre-installed in one of the 20 ft containers, which are also used to transport the Maggies. This is a much safer solution.

class

class

sanitation

kitchen

& techniquescollector

& chimney

offices & consult

art & drama

Underfloor heating eliminates a host of

health and safety risks

conceptual plan of the educational centre

traditional Maggie floor

heating in sand bed

and insulation

&

safe underfloor heating solution

heat transferring floor

each projectan innovation

Sustainable impact

Thanks to this unique collaboration, it will be possible to give access to education and trauma healing to at least 100 children each year.

The Maggie Program gives displaced people the opportunity to learn and practice in a safe location. So they can stand on their own feet. So they become the community leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

DMOA bvba & Maggie Program NPOErasme Ruelensvest 21c, 3001 Heverlee, BelgiumBenjamin Denef, ir.architect - +32 477 660 689benjamin@dmoa.be - www.dmoa.bewww.maggie-program.org

Panaga NGOIraq, Kurdistan, Duhok - ShariyaZirak Hameed - +964 (750) 750 7469117info@panaga.orgwww.panaga.orgMonique Smits network assistance

Budget estimation and funding

The budget for the whole project is estimated at €125 000. This will cover

• 4 Maggie-shelters with elevated floor

• 2 furnished containers (kitchen, boiler and sanitation)

• winterisation upgrade Maggies

• insulation• insulating doors and windows• heating• additional techniques (lighting, wall sockets)

• local contractors and helping hands for assembly

• logistics

Costs and taxes are excluded.

The project will operate with an open accountancy and in best practice. Regular feedback will be send to the donors, concerning the updates and evaluations.

€ 60 000

€ 10 000

€ 40 000

€ 10 000

€ 5 000

Do you want to support us? Maggie Program NPO is looking for funding

“The Maggie Program gives displaced people the

opportunity to learn and practice in a safe location.

So they can stand on their own feet. So they become

the community leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow”

Bart Peeters

donate to bank account BE63 7360 2101 4308or right here via Paypal

reference “project Yezidi” invoice available on request