Heartbreaking stories of Iraqi orphans

Photographer Ali Arkadi began a dangerous journey to Baghdad in July. He had one goal — to spend about a year with a group of Iraqi orphans and tell the whole world their story. Thousands of children have lost their parents in the events of Iraq's recent bloody past, but many of them are now being looked after by other relatives. However, the rest of the children are forgotten by everyone, they have no family. And so Arkadi packed up his things and spent 9 months in the company of 33 Iraqi street children.

"This is a company of very vulnerable and very sensitive children to the outside world," Ali said. "Ever since I went there, I think about them every day. And every day I mentally wish them good luck!"

The stories of these guys just break my heart. "Where is my mom? Do you think she'll ever come here to take me home?" one of the boys asked the photographer every day. "At that moment, tears rolled out of my eyes," Ali recalls. — But I told him: "We are your family and your friends, and we are here to help you.""

Ali started working as a photojournalist in 2010, focusing on the humanitarian side of the Iraqi conflict. The country survived the US invasion in 2003, bloody inter-religious conflicts in 2007 and 2008, as well as a large-scale war with ISIS (a terrorist organization banned in Russia. — Ed.) in the last few years. Ali Arkadi focused on the victims of the war, collecting documentary materials about suffering Iraqis and Yezidi girls who escaped from the captivity of militants.

(12 photos in total)

Source: edition.cnn.com

This project gave Ali the opportunity to work with the future generation of Iraqis.

"I taught them how to use my camera," the photographer said. — I taught them to draw. I even taught them how to become a good tailor." The team of the guarded orphanage does not leave children without occupation. Every day they study the school curriculum, play sports and play together.

"But sometimes there are moments when children sit and think about something of their own. I have often noticed this. They look very sad and lonely. Many parents are still alive, but where they are and what they know about their children is an open question."

The guys live literally a couple of kilometers from the battlefields. "Baghdad is no longer a safe place, the bombings continue." As the children grow up, many of them eventually find work and get married. But for many, this guarded house is all they have.

Ten-year-old Essa sleeps in a Baghdad orphanage. He and his two brothers have been living here since 2008.

Children swim in the pool of the orphanage.

Ali Kadhim Mohammed is engaged in sports exercises in an orphanage. 17-year-old Ali has been living here since 2006. In 2007, he started swimming and won several competitions as part of the Iraqi national team. Now he is a student at the Institute of Information Technology.

Tariq is 23 years old. He has been living in an orphanage for 9 years.

Nayef Nawaf and To Alhikar pray at dawn with other children.

Ahmed takes a shower. He and three other relatives lived with his father in a taxi.

Children watch movies.

13-year-old Abdullah Mahdi Kazim is playing on a bunk bed.

Seven-year-old Hussein poses for a portrait. This is Essa's brother from the first photo.

16-year-old Ahmed Nazir is resting in a shelter. His mother brought him here because she didn't have the opportunity to take care of him.

11-year-old Nayef Nawaf is playing in the water. Employees of the orphanage said that his parents were killed during the invasion of ISIS militants in Fallujah.

17-year-old Sharaf al-Din Abdul Hadi is watching TV with a newly arrived boy Ahmed. Sharaf has lived in this shelter with his three brothers since 2007. He has a mother and seven other brothers who live somewhere unknown. Sharaf is a hairdresser at an orphanage, he likes to sing and play football.