Needed: Love for a Baghdad orphanage
Thirteen-year-old Marwa never cried even when I asked her to relive the night her parents were executed in their home. It surprised me. I wondered how she’d become so tough so quickly.
"Where were you when the gunmen came?" I asked Marwa as we sat together in a classroom in Baghdad's Alwiya Orphanage where she now lives with her two younger sisters Alliya, 10, and Sora, 6.
"I was asleep upstairs when I head the shots," Marwa said. "I ran downstairs and saw my mother. She was shot all over and was dead. My father was barely alive."
Her father died two days later of multiple gunshot wounds.
I swallowed hard and asked what happened after that. 
"We lived with my uncle for about a year, and then came here."
"Why? Why did you have to come here?" I asked. I hated asking the question, but it bothered me that her uncle would send the girls to live in an orphanage. I wanted to know how Marwa rationalized it. She was very matter of fact.
"He couldn't afford to keep us, so he brought us here."
Out of chaos, routine
The orphanage was surprisingly clean and well organized. The girls all looked healthy and reasonably well cared for. Their lives were very regimented.
7:30 a.m. Wake up, followed by breakfast of bread and cheese.
8: 30 a.m. The girls go to school.
12:30 p.m. The girls return to the orphanage for lunch: chicken, rice and soda on the day we were there. (So many of the girls suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders that a caregiver at the orphanage told me they no longer serve drinks like soda at night because too many girls were wetting their beds.)
Alliya Hussein, 10, and Sora Hussein, 6, at Baghdad's Alwiya Orphanage. NBC News, Steve LoMonaco
1:00 p.m. Half-hour playtime or rest.
1:30 p.m. Two hours of extra study in classrooms at the orphanage.
3:30 p.m. a break. Some girls shower… others do laundry
4:00 p.m. Two more hours of study.
6:00 p.m. Free time. The girls can play or watch TV when the electricity works.
9:00 p.m. More chores, and then bedtime.
Little love
The girls we spoke to didn’t complain about all the studying, or the food or anything else I expected them to talk about. Most of all, with amazingly mature self-reflection, they said they were lonely.
All day, the girls would come up and hold my hand. I would talk to one girl and suddenly find another one come up behind me and slip her hand into my palm, or take hold my elbow.
"They need attention and there is no love here in Baghdad," a social worker told me. I hadn’t thought of it before.
Gun shots still
The experience had a profound affect on our entire crew. Our soundman Steve Lomonaco took dozens of pictures. The Nightly News foreign editor ML Flynn suggested that he post some of the pictures and write about what he felt.
I am lucky. I have a venue to talk about what I see and feel. It is a wonderful outlet, a way for me to release some of the stress. I am including some of Steve’s pictures and thoughts in this blog.
Tonight Marwa, Alliya, Sora and the 53 other girls at Baghdad’s Alwiya Orphanage are finishing up their extra studies and trying to go to sleep.
There are still gunshots throughout Baghdad everyday. Marwa said every time she hears the bang of muzzle fire she is reminded of the night her parents were killed. The lingering violence is also playing psychological games on her. Now when Marwa hears gunshots in the streets she said she thinks people are trying to shoot at her.
Girls with a teacher at Baghdad's Alwiya Orphanage. NBC News, Steve LoMonaco
The caregiver was right. Baghdad is a city where there is as little love as peace.
Covering the story
Veteran NBC News’ soundman Steve LoMonaco’s describes covering the story at Baghdad's Alwiya Orphanage:
We walked through a dark hall out to a courtyard where the girls, all orphans, were waiting for lunch.
As soon as we walked into the yard, chaos erupted. The kids rushed over and started to grab our hands, following us everywhere.
They were all saying, "Hay Meester, what’s your name?" They crowded around us everywhere we went. They seemed starved for attention. They were all smiles, but you could see sadness in their eyes.
Our shoot went well, although a little harder then usual because of all the kids jumping around. But it was a lot more enjoyable for the same reason. They all love to pose for pictures.
Most of us carry small digital still cameras, so when we had the chance we took pictures. After you would take a picture, the girls would run up to you so they could see it in the monitor. Then the next one would say, "Hey meester take my picture."
We ended up staying at the orphanage for over four hours and having an unexpectedly fun time.
By the time we left, this grizzled war weary crew was all smiles. Some of us even had thoughts of taking one of them home, but we all hoped that by airing this story it would inspire people to help. And maybe change some of the girls’ lives.
See Richard Engel's full report from Baghdad's Alwiya Orphanage on NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams on Friday evening.
Just another day in Baghdad
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I'm sure my 11 year old daughter would enjoy being pen pals with the girls. My husband is over there working and he doesn't get to see these kind of things. I'm sure if he did, he'd bring them all home.
Sheryl Sterns, Carl Junction Missouri (Sent May 30, 2006 11:25:09 AM)
I, too, am interested in adopting or, at the least sending money and letters to these chldren. Please let me know how I can contact the correct organization.
Thank You,
Patricia
Patricia Paul, Birmingham Michigan (Sent May 30, 2006 11:32:21 AM)
Is our military doing anything to help these kids? It could be a valuable (treasured) duty for volunteers of our military to visit these orphanages with gifts of balls, dolls, stuffed animals, etc to make their days a little more fun (both the soldiers and the kids). It would also go a long way to showing the communities we care about them (and not their oil). Who knows, it might even stop a few of them from growing up hating us.
I imagine it would put the individuals, and maybe even the orphanages at risk, but would be a great gesture. Communities in US might then compile items for the kids and drop them at nearest military base to help get the goods to the front lines.
Great story! I hope half of the people touched by it will take some kind of action. If these kids can't be adopted, I know there are thousands of orphanages in the United States that have kids in need of love too! I would love to have my kids write to some of these orphanages!
Dan Rainford, Kansas City, MO (Sent May 30, 2006 11:45:45 AM)
I also would like an address as to where to send money
to help. Please.
Jesus Nava (Sent May 30, 2006 11:58:36 AM)
While this story touches me also, I must remind everyone: this is NOT the only orphanage. What about American children languishing in orphanages? Just because the American orphans don't have a camera crew reporting their stories we just forget about them? How about helping people in the U.S. before we reach beyond our borders?
Christy (Sent May 30, 2006 12:06:59 PM)
http://www.allourchildren.org/stories/Alwiya.htm
It seems this children's charity organization has worked or is currently working with Alwiya - and they take donations.
Hope this helps - hope we help.
Katherine, Kansas (Sent May 30, 2006 12:18:03 PM)
Can you tell me who killed their parents? It is not clear from the article. Sectarian violence? US mistakes?
V Thornhill (Sent May 30, 2006 12:23:05 PM)
Great story Richard my heart goes out to all those little girls. I am very surprised that so many people are welling to help these children help should start at home. What about all the soliders that went over there and didn't come home leaving a family here, in some cases both parents being in the military leaving the kids orpans. All I'm saying is lets help our own before reaching out to others. We are the first to offer help weather it be in war or it be in aide.
SF Frisco, Tx (Sent May 30, 2006 12:30:45 PM)
What a wonderful story...Where can I send anything they need or want...We talk about democracy...winning over the hearts and minds of the people...but so seldom do we hear the plight of real people, people who are the true victims of the sectarian...the inocent and the children. Tell me where to send whatever I can to ease their burden, or tell me where to go to voluteer my efforts to go to Baghdad or in Iraq to put my efforts to work for their happiness...
Ronald Fussell, Riverside, CA (Sent May 30, 2006 12:31:32 PM)
For those that are wanting to help these children. Supplies for the Alwiya Orphanage are provided by a relief group called All Our Children. You can go to their website (www.allourchildren.com) to find ways you can help.
Kirsten Timms, Salt Lake City, UT (Sent May 30, 2006 12:40:56 PM)
Like most of us, I would like to know if these kids could be adopted. Your story show there are lots of good people around.
Wahid Ali (Sent May 30, 2006 12:40:58 PM)
www.allourchildren.org/stories/Alwiya.htm is a good source for more information about the orphanages in Bagdad. This should give you more insight into how the orphanages are supported and run.
Your hearts are in the right place.
mj, jekyll island, ga (Sent May 30, 2006 12:42:32 PM)
I know very little about Iraqui customs but I would suspect that the road ahead for these orphaned girls will not hold much promise. It saddens me that their lives have been so shattered by such a senseless conflict. I hope that all who offer to adopt these children get their wish. It is the very least we can do.
N. Goldston, St. Louis, Missouri (Sent May 30, 2006 12:55:51 PM)
So much promise and hope, shattered by war. This is the ugly result of war. It breaks my heart to see innocent children in such distress.
Khalid Bahhur (Sent May 30, 2006 3:49:12 PM)
When I read this story I was at work. I had to lock the door of my office so no one would see me cry.
Stan, Lexington Ky. (Sent May 30, 2006 3:59:00 PM)
A sad and true story, anything about children will get to your heart, BUT- what about our children here in the U.S. the ones who are forgotten or fell through the holes ? There are so so many right here where you live and aren't being helped. Why is it, that everytime something happens in other countries, the Americans always want to help. We need help- our children- our seniors- the homeless. My daughter is serving in Iraq and I want her home more than anything, but it's her choice, and I guess it's your choice to help others instead of your own.....
Wally, West Palm Beach, Florida (Sent Jun 2, 2006 12:18:16 AM)
I've come back to this and read through all the comments, what a wonderful inspiring blog this is. It is a wonderful representation of the "heart" that is in the American and Iraqi people. Thank you for the links - those of you who found and posted them. My husband and I are so inspired.
KMK (Sent Jun 3, 2006 1:28:09 AM)
It is wonderful the outpouring of requests to adopt these children. As an adoptive mother, I would like to say that maybe these orphans can not be adopted (which is a shame) but there are thousands of foreign orphans that need homes just as much. I hope it encourages more people to open their homes to these kids. They all deserve to have loving homes.
JoEllen Barnes (Sent Jun 3, 2006 10:59:12 AM)
As always it is the children that suffer the most. And yet amid all of the killing and death that surrounds them these children continue to grow. Surley what ever powers that may be on high have blessed and watched over them. Is there some way to let them know that all of the people in the world are not bad. Is it possible to write to them and let them know that some one cares.
Jim & Linda Wellner , Jackson, Wyoming (Sent Jun 3, 2006 11:17:16 AM)
Thank you for airing the program on the forgotten and vulnerable orphans. My heart aches for these little girls. I am glad that you are responding to the request for information on how to help provide for these beautiful children
Mona Aossey, Hoboken, NJ (Sent Jun 6, 2006 6:57:47 PM)
Can we bring the girls or boys here and file for US Citzenship? I'm ready to have them anyday. It's our duty to help them any means possible. My home is open ....and I'm ready to do what ever I can.
Cat Mesquite TX (Sent Jun 6, 2006 7:44:52 PM)
I can understand the kids in Iraq need help, but what about U.S. kids who lost their dad or mom fighting this war? Those kids will grow up dislikeing Americans because if we wasn't over there, this probably wouldn't have happen to their parents... What about the kids here in the U.S, how are they struggling w/o their parents??? Why not do a story on them??? FIRST, TAKE CARE OF YOUR OWN. My email address is not for sale...........
Charles Claxton (Sent Jun 6, 2006 9:35:25 PM)
Everyone of these kids will grow up hating us because our troops are over there. Support the kids here in the United States who lost their mother or father while over there...Why is the situation the way it is, because American Troops are over there... Let these people have their country back, they have been fighting for 1,000 of years and they will fight for another 1,000. CAN ANYONE (ANYONE) TELL ME WHAT DID WE ACCOMPLISH IN VIETNAM, AFTER LOOSING ALL OF THOSE LIVES? We will accomplish less in Iraq.
John Doe, Seattle Wash (Sent Jun 6, 2006 9:47:27 PM)
Sharing the stories help. Obviously the human heart responds in many different ways, but without the stories, the heart has no chance. The stories must be told and I thank God for people like you that share them. Weather the children are from Iraq, or hear in America, they are "our children" and our concern. We help them one at a time; one story at a time. Never stop telling the story.
Roger Cunningham (Sent Jun 7, 2006 8:37:02 AM)
Richard Engel, I am a single male who recently graduated from college and has no obligations. I have lots of affection to give, but I have no children of my own. If it's possible, I would like to do volunteer work at the Alwiya orphanage from your story "Needed: Love for a Baghdad orphanage." I am glad to see that many people are willing to send money or adopt children, but is this really enough? Can any amount of money give these girls the love and affection that they need? What good is a willingness to adopt when Iraq laws currently don't allow US adoption? As I said above, I have no children of my own and I would gladly care for these girls as if they were my own daughters. I will do everything within my power to give these girls the protection, love, and affection that they deserve. Although I only speak English, I could learn Iraq over time. If the Alwiya orphanage is willing to accept volunteer workers/caregivers, please have someone contact me with more information. Thanks.
Joshua Winkowski, Muskego, Wisconsin (Sent Jun 7, 2006 10:52:21 AM)
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