Halabja Community Playground Project

Where we work…

Halabja is a Kurdish town in southeast Kurdistan, making up the northern part of Iraq. The city is situated next to the Hewraman mountain range close to the border with Iran at the end of the fertile Sharazoor plain. This is a rich farmland where the Kurds have grazed their animals and grown their . . . → Read More: About Halabja Play

Halabja

Halabja is a Kurdish town in southeast Kurdistan, making up the northern part of Iraq. The city is situated next to the Hewraman mountain range close to the border with Iran at the end of the fertile Sharazoor plain. This is a rich farmland where the Kurds have grazed their animals and grown their crops for . . . → Read More: The area

History of the project

In March 2008, while photo documenting the 20th anniversary of the Halabja massacre for the Kurdish Human Rights Project, Tom Carrigan spent two weeks living with the family of Nariman Ali Mohammad . Nariman Ali is a local community representative and Deputy Director of the Halabja Monument who acted as guide and translator. . . . → Read More: The Project

The builders

The project is led by an experienced multi-skilled team of carpenters, builders, and play consultants from the UK. However, for this project to be a success it must be run as a partnership with workers from the community in Halabja. Skilled translators, teachers, tradesmen and playground site staff from the town have contributed so far. . . . → Read More: How we work

The team in Halabja

Nariman Ali: Co founder of the project, a translator and community representative.
Kdher Kareem: Mayor of Halabja and Iraq representative to Mayors for Peace
Kwestan Akram: Deputy Mayor.
Warzer Mohamad: Sports teacher and our first “playworker” on site from Halabja.
Saryas Ali: School teacher and social journalist. Saryas is well respected in his community.
Kelsum Hussain: Female journalist and . . . → Read More: Who we are

Looking ahead

Since the staff returned to the UK in the Spring of 2009 the Project has worked hard to raise funds through corporate sponsorship and private donations to achieve the next target. £23,750 has been raised in funds and over £4,000 through gifts ‘in-kind’ since the start of the project through the generosity of the following . . . → Read More: The future