Maharati: Re-SOURCE Young People — A New Chapter for Iraq’s Youth

Empowering young Iraqis through skills, opportunities, and social cohesion.

In a country where youth represent the foundation of the future, addressing the challenges of economic integration and community resilience is a priority. Across Anbar, Ninewa, and Salah al-Din, a new initiative is working to transform these challenges into opportunities.

The “Maharati Programming: Re-SOURCE Young People” project is a strategic six-month partnership between Mercy Hands Organization and UNICEF, running from September 2026 to February 2027. The project name, “Re-SOURCE,” reflects its core pillars: Reintegration, Skilling, Opportunities, and Entrepreneurship for Social Cohesion. This project is a continuation of years of fruitful cooperation between Mercy Hands Organization and UNICEF to serve the most vulnerable communities in Iraq.

Strategic Reach and Impact

The initiative is designed to reach a wide range of participants across the three governorates, focusing on:

• Adolescents and Youth (Ages 10–24): Specifically, those facing barriers to education and employment.

  
  

• Social Cohesion and Peacebuilding: Providing specialized training in social cohesion and peacebuilding to 200 young people aged 17–24, and training 40 community influencers—including faith leaders, tribal sheikhs, and local peace committee members—to promote positive social messages.

  
  

• Reintegration Support: Engaging 400 returnees in community dialogue sessions.

  
  

• Youth Leadership: Establishing Young People Advisory Groups led by 40 highly motivated young people.

Beyond direct participants, the project aims to reach over 57,000 individuals through extensive awareness campaigns across radio, social media, and community events in all targeted areas.

 

Five Key Implementation Areas (Geographical Distribution)

1.     Innovation and Digital Learning (Anbar & Salah al-Din)

Establishing four Innovation Labs equipped with modern technology to provide Life Skills and Citizenship Education (LSCE) through the Learning Passport digital platform, in coordination with the Directorates of Youth and Sport.

2.     Economic Empowerment (Anbar & Salah al-Din)

Providing seed funding for 40 youth-led social entrepreneurship projects, alongside 40 internship opportunities in local businesses and referrals to specialized vocational training centers.

3.     Youth-Led Decision Making (Anbar & Salah al-Din)

Utilizing the UPSHIFT module to empower youth to design innovative solutions for community challenges using design thinking methodologies.

4.     Social Cohesion and Peacebuilding (Anbar, Salah al-Din & Ninewa)

Forming Community and Youth Peace Committees to address local issues and facilitate inclusive dialogues between returnees and host communities.

5.     Awareness and Advocacy (Anbar, Salah al-Din & Ninewa)

Implementing extensive awareness campaigns using radio, mosque messages, and digital platforms to promote social cohesion.

Commitment to Sustainability

To ensure a lasting impact, Mercy Hands Organization is working closely with government directorates through Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs). By training government staff and embedding the project’s modules within existing structures, the initiative aims to create a scalable and sustainable model for youth empowerment across Iraq.