Widower Jawad Ridwan’s two sons were killed in an attack which also maimed his daughter. Ridwan is unemployed, lives in poverty, and says he needs help to provide for his remaining two children.
“On 17 November my wife was found raped, handcuffed and murdered near Dora District, a suburb of Baghdad. She was working as a housekeeper for two families and after she left work in the outskirts of Dora, someone took her and ended her life.
“On 13 May I left my children with my sister-in-law and, as she was taking them to buy some chocolate near her house in Alawi District, insurgents opened fire on a passing US convoy. She was killed, together with my two sons, in the crossfire, and one of my daughters was injured.
“I don’t like to remember how much my six-year old daughter, Rana, suffered. Sometimes when I’m asleep, I can hear her in the hospital screaming with pain.
“The bad health service and the long hours of waiting, led to her losing her leg… I contemplated suicide but God protected me from that because Rana needs me now more than anyone.
“Jobless, I rely on a local non-governmental organisation for food and clothes. I have moved house more than three times since my wife died because Rana needs to be near a hospital as she sometimes gets infections where she was amputated.
“I don’t know how long I can stand this life. My two daughters don’t attend school and they don’t eat well. I hope I can get a job because with money, maybe, I can travel abroad and take them away from this violence.”
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This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
