Our Mission & Impact

Our Mission

EPIC’s ultimate vision is a safe and prosperous Iraq in which all citizens live in freedom from want, freedom from fear, and freedom to live with dignity. EPIC’s strategy is based on a human security approach to aid relief and policy-making. Our goals are to educate Americans about what’s needed for genuine peace in Iraq, provide emergency assistance to the country’s most vulnerable populations, and convince the international community to remain responsibly engaged in Iraq by providing the humanitarian, security, and political support necessary to break the cycle of violence.

Our goals are to:

Enhance understanding

by sharing Iraq’s stories in the United States and around the world.

monitor the crisis

on the ground to inform better public policy and more effective humanitarian assistance strategies to break the cycle of violence.

provide relief

to assist vulnerable families and empower young people as a force for positive change.

OUR IMPACT

ON THE GROUND IN IRAQ

Soccer Salam is a lifesaving program that delivers humanitarian assistance and the joy of play to Iraq’s most vulnerable children and families. Alongside distributions of food, clean water, medicine, winter blankets, and other essentials, we deliver something for children at each distribution including sweets, jump ropes, and – of course – soccer balls.
Our Emergency Assistance Fund allows us to respond to the most critical humanitarian emergencies in Iraq that are not being addressed by other aid agencies for a variety of reasons. Working with our on-the-ground partners who identify these critical needs, we fund the distribution of urgent food aid and medical care, mostly for internally displaced persons fleeing from violence.
The Future of Iraq Opportunity Fund will be launched in 2017 to provide grant funding for volunteer projects based in Iraq designed by or with Iraqi youth. Priority will be given to ideas that address gender or minority group inequality, education for internally displaced persons, and the psychosocial needs of children traumatized by violence.

IN WASHINGTON, DC

EPIC is frequently called upon by Congressional staffers, committees, and think tanks in Washington to offer insight on the latest developments on-the-ground and to explain why a stronger human security-oriented response to Iraq’s needs is needed now. EPIC has played a leadership role in convening like-minded agencies in Washington and actively supports InterAction, an alliance of 180+ non-profits who work to advocate for a greater humanitarian response to pressing needs around the world.

AROUND THE WORLD

The Iraq Security and Humanitarian Monitor (ISHM) – Every week since January 2015, EPIC publishes a digest of the latest security, humanitarian, and political developments in Iraq to an extensive network of policymakers, scholars, aid workers, journalists, and anyone else needing a deeper understanding of the context in Iraq on a weekly basis. Information is based on objective firsthand accounts and reliable Arabic and Kurdish news sources.
The quarterly IRAQ MATTERS podcast features guests who are experts in the fields of Iraqi culture, politics, humanitarian relief, security, and a wide variety of other fields. IRAQ MATTERS aims to educate the public about impactful individuals and organizations, current events and developments, and cultural themes related to Iraq.
Our Blog – recently renamed Chaikhanna in recognition of Iraq’s vibrant tea shops which are famously known to be the place to get the latest news – has been a reliable source for information about the most pressing security and humanitarian development issues in Iraq since 2006. Chaikhanna attracts a loyal readership who trust the accuracy and independent voice of our pieces, including interviews with journalists and aid experts, thought-provoking assessments of Iraq’s needs, analyses of the longterm stability and viability of the Iraqi political, educational, and healthcare systems, and spotlight features on several of Iraq’s more neglected corners.