A Grand Opening for Hope Bus 2: Celebrating New Opportunities for Iraq’s Vulnerable Children

With a cut of the ribbon, Hope Bus 2 celebrated an official Grand Opening on February 13, 2018.  Subhi Khudairi, President of the Khudairi Group, performed the honors, along with representatives of Al Khudairi Rentals (AKRC) and Al Nadir (ANTC), major financial sponsors of the second Hope Bus, along with the Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF) and ICF’s Iraqi NGO partner, the Justice Gate Organization (JGO).

 Fifty children, from a desperately poor neighborhood (pictured at right), are registered to attend classes on the bus. Among the children who were being recruited were seven whose parents forced them to work by collecting empty cans from the landfill.  The work puts children at risk of being run over by vehicles transporting the garbage, as well as subjecting them to the risk of skin diseases and stomach diseases that result from the daily exposure to unhealthy pollution and garbage.  When the families of these child laborers did not respond, the Justice Gate Organization notified the police who alerted the landfill official to prohibit all children from the site or be held legally responsible.  Unfortunately, the children stopped working at the landfill but were sent instead to work in the streets.  Their cases were designated for special followup by the Justice Gate Organization. 

The 50 children registered at Hope Bus 2 are provided tutoring, nutritious meals, health care and other social services, as well as fun.  A recent visitor also provided a generous gift of winter clothes.  Interested in supporting an orphan and street child at Hope Bus 1 and 2?  A gift of $100 a month – or $25 per week – helps cover tuition, school supplies, food, health care and social services for a vulnerable girl or boy.  Sign up athttp://goto.gg/28436 

For more information about ICF or its initiatives, contact ICF at liz@iraqichildren.org

The Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity located at 701 W Broad St., Suite 301, Falls Church, VA 22046. Phone:  (703) 635-7990.  All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.  A financial statement is available upon written request from the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs.