Seeds of Resilience
Rajaa Gorgees’ Journey from Displacement to Lead Climate Action
Rajaa Gorgees, an engineer by qualification and a high-school teacher by profession, understands the threat climate change poses to the country and is determined to play her part in addressing it and educating people about it.
Rajaa grew up in Batnaya—a village in the north of the Ninawa Plains of Iraq and chose teaching as her preferred profession. However, her calm life was devastated by the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which brought conflict to Ninewa. A prime target being a minority, Rajaa endured a four-year period of displacement. She sought refuge in various locations like Dohuk, Alqosh, and eventually Tel Eskof.
During her displacement in Tel Eskof, Rajaa discovered the Shared Future project—a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded activity that supports the return of displaced communities, repairs trust among ethnic and religious groups and supports the youth to earn a living.
Although horrified by ISIS’s massacre of Yezidis and Christian minorities, Rajaa felt inspired by the Shared Future cause and volunteered to actively engage in activities that promote social cohesion by bringing together diverse communities. Primarily working within her Christian identity group, she helped nurture emotional resilience and facilitate healing among its members, who had suffered from the traumatic violence inflicted by ISIS. Through this experience, Rajaa developed the skills to foster discussions among communities of various faiths, increasing her confidence, promoting inclusivity, and sharpening her leadership abilities.
“Before the bridging phase, I had concerns,” says Rajaa. “But I mustered the courage and attended the workshops. It boosted my confidence and improved my ability to communicate with others.”
While working on the bridging activities, Rajaa, and nine others from Tal Kayf, attended project design workshops that provided them with the necessary skills to plan, design, and execute community-level projects. Using these skills, Rajaa's group prepared and presented a proposal and received a $2,500 grant from USAID to support five kindergartens—one in Batnaya, two in Tal Kayf, and two in Tel Eskof.
In March 2023, Rajaa attended an intergenerational workshop, bringing together leaders and youth from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. United by their shared objective of designing projects that would benefit their respective communities, Rajaa and her colleagues recognized the pressing need to address climate change. They focused their efforts on increasing green spaces in Batnaya and Tel Eskof, presenting an innovative proposal that secured another generous grant from USAID.
With this funding, they planted a total of 300 trees in these areas, collaborating closely with the municipal department to ensure proper watering and maintenance. Additionally, the team supplied the municipal directorate with essential tools like lawnmowers and saws to encourage the maintenance of the area's plants.
To foster a sense of camaraderie and inspire the communities, they also provided uniforms for volunteers in Qubba village. Rajaa takes pride in her role in addressing the urgent challenge of climate change.
"Each year, we witness a gradual increase in scorching temperatures,” she said. “The majority of people in our area are farmers. These changes directly impact their livelihoods and our collective well-being. We cannot stand idly by; we must take action!"
