What does self-reliance mean to Syrian refugees in KRI?

Life has changed in Domiz camp, located in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Walking around the camp for Syrian refugees who fled to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in 2012 and 2013, one finds a bustling environment filled with shops, restaurants, crowds working and chatting, and children in their school uniforms going to and from school.

The camp is filled with life, indeed, but this doesn’t mean that Syrian refugees have all that is needed to be self-reliant. They still need support to have a better future. To understand what self-reliance means to Syrians, we spoke with Nadia and Hussein who both participated in NRC’s Cash and Livelihood programme in Dohuk through funding from the European Regional Development and Protection Programme (RDPP II) for Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. The programme targets affected communities with training and cash assistance to help people start their own business or find employment.

“Self-reliance to me means that I can have my own job to support my family and that I don’t have to ask for someone else for financial support,” said Nadia, a 24-year-old Syrian refugee who participated in a vocational training and was selected for job placement inside Domiz camp at a tailoring shop.

“If I didn’t participate in the training and wasn’t working now, I would’ve relied on my family or relatives to support me financially, because my husband’s job is not enough to provide for the family, especially since we have two young children and their needs are very specific. I can’t always depend on others to help me financially because there will times when it’s not available,” Nadia added.

Nadia putting her finishing touches on a dress that she’s making for a customer at the tailoring shop where she works. Photo: Ahmed Kaka/NRC

Self-reliance has different meanings for different people. It could mean preparing your own meal without the help of others, following your dreams and achieving your goals on your own, or acting and thinking independently. But, for Syrian refugees, many told us that self-reliance means that they can support themselves and their families, particularly financially.

“I didn’t feel that I was self-reliant before opening this business. I didn’t have a job and it was still hard to find a job opportunity inside and outside of the camp. I have a family to provide for and being self-reliant makes me confident that I can support them without the need to ask someone else for help,” said Hussein when asked about what self-reliance means to him. Hussein participated in a business skills training and received a grant to open his own business as a blacksmith through NRC’s Cash and Livelihood programme.

“I think there should be more support towards Syrian refugees for them to be self-reliant and not always having to depend on assistance from humanitarian organisations. We want the international community to provide more support toward business training so that we can have skills to be able to apply for jobs and get them like everyone else here in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq,” Hussein added.

Hussein at his own blacksmith shop working on a customer’s order to create window frames. Photo: Ahmed Kaka/NRC

Hussein says that being self-reliant also involves feeling secure, namely in knowing he can earn an income through his business and support his family. The meaning of self-reliance can differ from one person to another, but everyone should have the opportunity and the tools to be able to support themselves.