Iraq: Sulaimanyah - Growing Leaders in Iraq with Global Citizen Corps

Dereh, a charismatic and confident 21 year-old Iraqi Kurdistan girl, lives with her grandmother, mother, and sister, she studies medicine in university, and has set a goal to improve the TB facilities in her local hospital. She is also a member of the Global Citizen Corps (GCC).

GCC is a Mercy Corps program that trains youth around the world to be effective leaders in their communities. They learn how to spread the word about the root causes of critical global issues to thousands of their peers, and to mobilize others to make a difference and embrace a life of global citizenship.

Dereh was one of 20 youth leaders selected to attend the 2011 International Youth Gathering in July in Doha, Qatar. The gathering brings together youth leaders, ages 16 to 25, from 10 countries, including Qatar, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, the Palestinian Territories (Gaza), Pakistan, Indonesia, the US, the UK, and Haiti.

The Hub recently contacted Dereh for an interview to learn how the Youth Gathering has impacted her goals and perspective one month later.

What experiences were most important to you during the International Youth Gathering in Doha? Have they changed your ideas of the world?

At first I was afraid to know people not in my country, not speaking my languages, not knowing my religion-that I couldn't communicate. I worried I could not teach or learn from them. But after I got to the gathering, it was not like that at all. I had a really great experience there. I got the new idea that every youth has a new and different important idea.

When I went there, everyone was just like me. They were so self-confident, every step you took, they smiled it was not so tough! They were great. I thought because we were in the Middle East. I though we would be very distant from each other and not accept each other. But everyone shared a lot of information. They connected so nice.

At the gathering the group discussed many important issues in the world today (food security, environment and climate change, education, peace and conflict, health), how do you feel the knowledge you are gaining from participating with GCC will help you address these key issues?

I was in the health group. First in my group we had students from Palestine, Qatar, Indonesia, and me from Iraq. Everyone took ideas from their home and shared them, the things that are not good. Then we used the problem solving to find a solution

My project I plan to start is about the hospital in Iraq.  There are many problems but the one I shared was about the hospitals' TB center, which is so bad. From 8-2pm there is a TB center, if patients come later there is no TB and so many cannot get access

I will make advocacy to work with a hospital far from the center of town where there is fresh air. I face many challenges though; I need to convince the hospital it is worth their time.

 What specific tools or skills did the GCC gathering give you that will help you work towards your future goals?

We worked a lot making projects about hunger, health, education.  All the projects gave us an idea and I can help spread these ideas. Before GCC I had social media, I had internet, but I could not find information that was useful. With GCC I can find out the issues that are so important for my country. Working on these projects makes me a leader in my country and in my soul. I want to be great leader.

Whether I specialize to be a doctor in my future or maybe a volunteer what I'm really working for is the humanity. I will do anything to find a way to help people.

Is there anything else you would like to share, Dereh?

This year was the first time youth from Iraq could go out of the country for the gathering or for anything like this. I hope that more youth will get the chance to leave for education and learning purposes. I hope that this will not be the last time and that more youth will get this benefit.

Read more about Dereh and the other International Youth Gathering participants, as well as other Global Citizens Corps initiatives at http://globalcitizencorps.org/