Alive in Baghdad

This is a great site giving average Iraqis a voice. It seems as if Iraq has all but disappeared in the American media, even on the 'progressive' blogs.

Sites like Alive in Baghdad are more important than ever. Listen to Iraqis tell their stories and donate if you feel like assisting Iraqi journalists.

Sadly, Ali Shafeya, a journalist for Alive in Baghdad, was killed on December 14th, two days before his 23rd birthday.

Iraqi Refugees at Work in Syria:

Damascus, Syria - Although there are many reports of Iraqis returning to Baghdad, there are still hundreds of thousands of refugees and resident Iraqis struggling to get by in Syria. This week Hayder Fahad brings you some of their stories.

There are so many refugees still in Syria, that the UNHCR has just begun distributing financial aid to refugees as of Sunday the 16th. Alive in Baghdad has written stories previously about Iraqi refugees in Syria, this week we focus not on the reasons why they have left, but how they get by. It is illegal for Iraqis to work in Syria, but the underground economy of Iraqi workers is thriving.

Despite this, many Iraqis are still without work, and many more cannot afford to pay their bills even with the small incomes they do make. Iraqis are filling some of the traditionally least desired jobs, particularly that of janitors, and others are forced to engage in sexwork and prostitution. Many Iraqis are choosing to remain in a desperate state in Syria, despite reports from Baghdad that unemployment is down and refugees are returning.