Waterkeepers Iraq/Kurdistan

Introducing our April Elevate Prize GET LOUD Award winner for habitat protection, Waterkeepers Iraq/Kurdistan! Waterkeepers Iraq/Kurdistan is fighting for the rivers and waterways of the Tigris-Euphrates Basin. They work tirelessly to monitor pollutants and find innovative solutions to protect waters, advocate for legislation to protect rivers and their surrounding communities, and raise awareness among communities, from children to decision-makers. Waterkeepers Iraq/Kurdistan is our first Elevate Prize GET LOUD awardee in Iraq (in fact, they’re our first in the Middle East!). We are grateful to our community for introducing us to them. Please join us in welcoming this incredible organization to the Elevate family!

Our latest Who Is Waterkeeper profile features Nabil Musa of Waterkeepers Iraq/Kurdistan. Nabil confronts many threats to his watershed, including pollution, diversions, and the lack of wastewater infrastructure, all throughout decades of armed conflict and domestic strife. Learn more about Nabil's work here: https://lnkd.in/echcuPrx

"Be part of the solution, not the pollution," said Alzahraa, a bright student, at the end of a workshop I recently led in Iraq. Some people scoffed. I looked on with curious admiration. I mean, we had just visited areas where decades of dramatic pollution and the affects of climate change had me wishing I could get my senses to stop functioning at will. We all need and find positivity. It’s a critical pursuit. But how do you find positives when things seem really grim and out of hand? Iraq and its youth have some world class answers for that. The 3 day workshop struggled with the power and sobering limitations of taking action with citizen science in areas that are testing the breaking points of people and nature. The 30 students that joined from the 200 that applied came from Baghdad, Basra, and Sulaymaniyah. I think I learned more from Meer, Alzahraa, sajjad, Mohamad, Mustafa, Marwa, and Bahast just to name a few, than they did from me. We used air quality sensors and water quality test kits to paint pictures and tell stories of life in Iraq. And now we hope to grow these stories into collective actions. Thanks to all the great collaboration of Omar Dewachi, Rawya Chab, and Khaldoun Ahmad; the IRIS team at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani, particularly J. Mac Skelton, Karam Faris, Adnan Charakh; and the team at Waterkeepers Iraq/Kurdistan particularly Mustafa Abusuf, Nabil Musa, and Bnwar Rzgar. Y'all are amazing.

Our latest Who Is Waterkeeper profile features Nabil Musa of Waterkeepers Iraq/Kurdistan. Nabil confronts many threats to his watershed, including pollution, diversions, and the lack of wastewater infrastructure, all throughout decades of armed conflict and domestic strife. Learn more about Nabil's work here: https://lnkd.in/echcuPrx