ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Two American school administrators were out for a tour of Erbil’s ancient citadel several months back when they were approached by Wasim, a young Kurdish man living in the area.

Wasim had noticed the two foreigners and wanted to know if he could help since they seemed to be lost as they wandered around the world’s longest continuously inhabited city.

To his surprise, one of the Americans was ethnically Kurdish and could communicate easily with him.

Kurdish hospitality soon set in and Wasim invited Ahmed Khoshnaw, a Kurd who has lived in America since he was four, and his colleague, Albanian-American Frano Ivezaj, back to his home for tea.

Walking through the winding citadel alleyways leading to Wasim’s home, Khoshnaw and Ivezaj were shocked by what they saw.

Wasim and his family lived within the Khanaqa neighborhood just below the citadel in an old building made of clay and mud that was crumbling around them – a dangerous place for the children to run and play.

Khoshnaw described the area, which hasn’t been preserved like the citadel itself, as a dumping ground where mounds of trash had piled up over the years mixed with the rubble of the crumbling ancient city.

They learned that Wasim was a Peshmerga with a wife and two small children, yet he was also caring for his brother and mother on a meager government salary that is rarely paid on time.

“For us, the reason why we are here, as foreigners, why we’re able to carry on with our daily lives in safety and the reason why Erbil itself is ranked as the fifth safest city in the world is because of someone like him,” said Khoshnaw, who is head of primary education at the British International School in Kurdistan (BISK).

This unexpected meeting set in motion a plan for Khoshnaw and Ivezaj, the principal of BISK, to help the community.

“What Frano and I came to notice is that we had no intention of meeting this family but it stuck with us. What we kept thinking is that we’re here, we’re living a high class life, but here is the guy that deserves it in all honesty,” Khoshnaw said of Wasim. “So we started thinking on how we can give back to the community. How could we best serve those who most deserve it.”

After meeting with the Parents’ Association of BISK, Ivezaj and his colleagues launched a charity campaign to raise money for winter and school supplies to benefit those in need.

“When the charity campaign started here, we kept thinking of the Peshmerga family,” said Ivezaj.

Khoshnaw and the Parents’ Association visited Wasim’s home to find out what they needed most.

“At first he was hesitant and said they don’t need anything, but we insisted because he is deserving of this,” Khoshnaw said.

“Even though he lived in the middle of the dumping grounds, he was so resilient, so honorable, he took pride and never asked for anything, and was ashamed if anything,” he said. “So we got his permission and the Parents’ Association worked with us to get the supplies he needed.”

The administrators, Parents’ Association, and nearly 30 students from the primary and secondary school students’ council loaded a bus with donations of blankets, clothing, school supplies, and foodstuffs and set out to deliver them to those in need.

School supplies like backpacks, pens, notebooks, and winter items were also donated to Klamiski School at Qushtapa Syrian Refugee camp just south of Erbil.

Faisal Sheghmous, Principal of Klamiski School since it opened in 2013, was thankful to BISK and grateful that his students would be able to benefit from the generous donations.

Besides basic school supplies, Sheghmous said the 1,800 Syrian students are also in need of English, Kurdish, and Arabic dictionaries as well as uniforms and games. 

“Mr. Frano, he’s a kind and friendly man for bringing us things we need such as bags and pens,” Sheghmous said. “I want to thank his team so much.”

As a result of the Region’s recent financial woes, Kurdish government workers such as Peshmerga have earned a monthly salary of roughly 500,000 Iraqi Dinar (about $420 USD) – which is rarely paid on a monthly basis.

Wasim told Khoshnaw he sometimes doesn’t receive his salary for two or three months at a time, finding it tough to make ends meet supporting a family of six. Conditions in refugee and IDP camps are often much worse.

“Dr. Frano and I are firm believers in community development and community bonding,” Khoshnaw told Rudaw.

“As this winter breeze comes upon us, we want to assure that folks have warmth and comfort.” 

He hopes to encourage other schools and institutions to also give back to their community.

“The reward one feels when sympathy and morals are one’s own true values.”

Photos: A.C. Robinson / Rudaw