Water is life.

In Iraq, the Tigris and Euphrates and the waterways connected to them sustain families, farms, food security, public health, wildlife, and the fragile conditions for peace.

But Iraq’s water resources are under growing pressure. Rivers and tributaries are polluted and shrinking. Untreated sewage threatens communities and agriculture. Farmers face declining water supplies while outdated irrigation practices waste water Iraq can no longer afford to lose.

At the same time, international attention and support for Iraqi civil society are shifting elsewhere. Yet our friends and partners in Iraq are ready to act.

That is why the Enabling Peace in Iraq Center (EPIC) is launching Water for Iraq’s Future (#Water4Iraq) — a 30-day campaign to raise $50,000 for three Iraqi-led water initiatives.

Please give what is meaningful to you today and help us start strong. Every gift moves this work forward.

WHAT YOUR GIFT WILL SUPPORT

In Sulaymaniyah, Waterkeepers Iraq will test water quality at ten locations along the Tanjero River system, document pollution and public-health risks, involve young environmentalists in field monitoring, and use the findings to strengthen public education, government engagement, wastewater advocacy, and long-term river restoration.

Along the Tigris River in Ninewa, west of Mosul, Humat Dijlah will work with farming communities facing shrinking water supplies. The project will interview 50 farmers, identify barriers to water-saving irrigation, and bring farmer recommendations to researchers and public officials so practical solutions can conserve water and sustain rural livelihoods.

Near the shrine city of Najaf, Bawsala will document untreated sewage entering the Kufa River, a branch of the Euphrates. Through field documentation, community testimony, public education, and engagement with government agencies, the project will press for cleaner, safer water and practical solutions to a serious threat to public health and agriculture.

TURNING LOCAL ACTION INTO LASTING CHANGE

Campaign funds support this Iraqi-led fieldwork together with EPIC's research, coordination, mentoring, communications, and advocacy that help turn local evidence into wider public awareness and policy action.

EPIC is the sole beneficiary of this fundraiser and will receive and administer all campaign funds. Funds will support approved campaign activities with Iraqi partner organizations and the EPIC support that helps those projects succeed and grow.

These projects are deliberately focused. By generating credible evidence, testing practical approaches, and strengthening local advocacy, they can demonstrate what small, well-targeted investments in capable Iraqi organizations can achieve — and help attract greater support for effective local action.

We are also building a leadership matching pool of up to $50,000 so public donations can be matched dollar for dollar. We will update supporters as matching commitments are confirmed. If the public campaign reaches $50,000 and the full matching pool is realized, EPIC can support a second round of Iraqi-led water projects — potentially expanding wastewater treatment and river-protection work.

WHY EPIC

EPIC has worked alongside Iraqi civil society since 1998. Our mission is to advance peace in Iraq by strengthening human rights, accountable governance, environmental action, and climate resilience.

We help Iraqi partners move from community concerns to evidence, from evidence to practical recommendations, and from recommendations to advocacy and public engagement.

Water4Iraq also builds on EPIC’s recent research into water-efficient irrigation and wastewater management, helping our Iraqi partners turn research and evidence into practical local action.

Our larger goal: cleaner rivers, healthier communities, and a stronger foundation for peace.

Please donate today, share this fundraiser, and help our Iraqi partners protect rivers, sustain livelihoods, and build a cleaner, healthier future for their communities.

#Water4Iraq

Photo captions: Top photo: Left: Waterkeepers Iraq staff and volunteers at The Culture Factory in Sulaymaniyah. Right: EPIC Director Erik Gustafson with Waterkeepers Iraq’s director Nabil Musa and Kurdish Iraqi designer Sabah Ahmad, who built a mobile wastewater treatment unit supported in part by EPIC. Sulaymaniyah, 2025. Second photo: the Tanjero River, swollen by the spring melt, flows through the city of Sulaymaniyah (EPIC, 2025). Third photo: A farmer inspects cucumber plants on his farm in Barda Qaraman, Sulaymaniyah Governorate. (Winthrop Rodgers, 2025). Fourth photo: EPIC's board of directors at our board retreat (EPIC, 2019).