Our Partnership

January 2020

Beyond Conflict is delighted to announce formally its first partnership in the Middle East with the world-renowned Al Khoei Foundation’s orphan charity Al Kawthar. Also, Beyond Conflict is honoured to announce our first project with the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Deputy Director for International Affairs, Professor Mohammed Al Uzri and Annie Shamsie of the Najaf volunteer group of mental health experts, who will lead our training pilot in Iraq.

BC and Al Kawthar, with the support of the Al Khoei Foundation, will launch its first joint project in Najaf, Iraq in early 2020 as soon as the situation there stabilises following recent protests. The BC/Al Kawthar project will train frontline workers in the region on how to identify trauma in civilians and treat it. Iraqi trainees will be trained to assist children and families who have been devastated by decades of war, insurgency and terrorism.

Edna Fernandes, Co-Founder and Trustee of Beyond Conflict, said:

“Beyond Conflict is honoured to announce these key partnerships with Al Kawthar, Professor Al Uzri and Ms Shamsie who represent world class standards in their field. Together we hope to start delivering on boosting mental health provision in Iraq in 2020 as soon as possible. We end 2019 with everything in place to start this urgent work.”

Sayed Yousif Al-Khoei OBE, head of Al-Khoei Foundation,Public Affairs, said:

“I am delighted to announce a partnership between Al-Khoei Foundation’s widows and orphans charity Al Kawthar and Beyond Conflict. In 2020 we will be working together to better deal with cases of trauma in young orphans in Iraq, starting in Najaf. There is a real need for more mental health support for victims of war and terrorism and we hope our partnership with BC will deliver that.”

The training will be led by BC’s chief mental health advisor, Professor Al Uzri and Ms Shamsie. Professor Al Uzri is Deputy Director for International Affairs and former Chair of the Iraq sub-committee at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He has coordinated and worked on major health projects globally and in Iraq, including the Iraq Mental Health Survey with WHO and the Iraqi government.

Annie is a British-based expert who has worked as a pro bono trauma counselling trainer and volunteer in Iraq for five years. She has built up a group of 50 international volunteers.