Karla, who recently worked as a protection advisor in Iraq says, ‘If you want to help young people, help them to connect to one another. And help them to connect with people in the next stages of life - people who will speak wisdom into them.’
In Iraq, many people are living with different types of trauma, but it is not generally something that people talk about. Samer, a peace building consultant who has suffered from trauma himself, is trying to change this situation. Both he and Karla have realised how important it is for young people to have trusted leaders and role models.
Karla says, ‘In Samer, young people see someone who is always actively pursuing the good of others, but also developing himself. He invites others to imagine a new way of living. With the support of community, family and friends, most people can recover from bad experiences.’