Some people kill two birds with one stone, but Mahdi Hasan wants to kill three. He makes new products from wood waste, teaches children to love the environment, and expand green spaces.
Hasan, 36 years old, lives in the Saruchawa sub-district within the borders of the Raparin administration of the Sulaymaniyah Northern Province. He is a craftsman and artist who creates paintings and handicrafts from used items. He runs an environmental organization that trains and teaches children about art and the environment.
Hasan's initiative comes at a time when society suffers from a lack of environmental awareness, which is one of the causes of environmental pollution in a country where the air is considered among the "most polluted" in the world.
According to the Ministry of Health in the Kurdistan Regional Government KRG, air and environmental pollution are one of the causes of cancer.
Blending art with the environment, the story of the launch of these ideas goes back four years, where Hasan says that he did not want to sit idle and waste time when he was jobless. "In a small room in my house, I started working using wood waste that I got from carpentry workshops with some basic materials."
Hasan thought about intensifying his work within the framework of interest in the environmental issue.
"I saw that wood was thrown away without anyone benefiting from it. My idea was to benefit from it through artistic works."
He invested the wood in two ways: making some of it into household and office tools, such as shelves and flower pots, and using the other part to produce artistic works like paintings and decorative tools.
Hasan received support from a heritage and environmental organization this year, after realizing that artistic and handicraft works alone do not achieve what is required to serve the environment.
"Mali Aw" (his/her house) is the name of the organization that Hasan leads and has obtained a license from the KRG. The organization's strategy is represented by human development in the field of environment, culture, and art, after consultations with a group of young volunteers specialized in the three mentioned fields.
"We organize trainings on the environment and heritage, we have special seminars and courses, and generally, we run these activities on a voluntary basis," according to Hasan.
The organization's office headquarters is at one of the oldest houses in the Saruchawa sub-district, indicating an interest in heritage.
"We decorated the house with a design that attracts visitors, and sometimes it receives delegations from schools that come to give art lessons."
Rahel Ismail, 26 years old, sends his 8-year-old son to the courses organized by the organization.
"The works are environmental and teach us the importance of recycling our household items. Professor Hasan serves the environment in our district through art," Rahel says.
A room of the organization "Mali Aw" in Sarwchawa sub-district decorated with eco-friendly handicrafts, Sulaymaniyah, November 2024. Exclusively for KirkukNow
The local authorities and official appreciate the domestic efforts of the NGO.
Hama Shawan Barzinji, who resigned four months ago from his position as director of the Raparin Environment, described Hasan as a capable and talented young man.
"During the period I was director, I always participated in his activities and expressed my willingness to help him,"Barzinji said.
"What Hasan is doing deserves attention because it provides a service to the environment and raises awareness among citizens," he added.
His activities include an interest in afforestation, as he annually supervises many volunteer campaigns.
"We planted about 100 trees within the campaigns we implemented, some of which have now reached a height of more than two meters."
Reusing wood does not quench thirst
It was suggested that the organization expand its scope of work and not be limited to reusing wood waste.
The former director of the Raparin Environment suggested to Hasan that he teach people other methods and ways to protect the environment, "for example, how to recycle tires and plastic waste."
Mali Aw team brings used plastic, glass, and fabrics to the courses they organize, and according to Hasan, "the participants in the courses collect them and reuse them during the courses." In this way, the participants learn two things: cleaning campaigns and reusing.
"One of the challenges we face is the lack of openness of society to art, which makes the participation rate in our courses below our ambition," Hasan says.
However, he stressed that the organization cannot change its strategy.
"The environment and art are linked to each other. We believe that this method has a greater impact on people."
He pointed out that "the lack of continuous support for our projects has limited our capabilities within a specific geographical area, as the continuation and expansion of any project require continuous support."
Muhammad Aziz, 38 years old, a resident of the Saruchawa sub-district, said that "the works and activities of Professor Hasan are wonderful, but handicrafts are not given their due here, and their value is underestimated."
Encouraging children to love the environment, Hasan provides special training for children.
The focus is more on how to produce new supplies from used items.
"We receive a number of children annually for this purpose and train them. We combine art with the environment. We want to create a generation aware of the environment and spread awareness through them in society."
Since the organization obtained the government license, no less than 50 children have benefited from its courses, which are organized with the support of the Goethe Institute Iraq, the globally active cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The head of the "Mali Aw" organization says, "We must acknowledge that environmental awareness is not at the required level, so we must work more seriously and deeply on this issue, and direct efforts towards educating children."
Ryan Hassan's mother involved her daughter in the organization's courses. "I want my daughter to learn to love the environment and recycle used items."
The decision to send her daughter to participate in the courses came as a result of Hasan’s continuous efforts to spread awareness among the youth.
"I learned to maintain cleanliness, and that throwing away used household items is wrong, and I should benefit from them to make other supplies," Rayan's mother said.
"I learned from the instructions to reuse household items, I want my children to learn too."
Hasan's handicrafts provide him with a source of income, as he displays them on social media and there is a demand for them. "Sales are relatively good, I receive requests from some customers, especially from big cities."
The former director of the Raparin Environment explained that "the important thing is that he turned an old house into the headquarters of his organization, where he teaches many children art and recycling," adding, "Others should be inspired by his work because he provides a great service to the environment."
Over 6,000 tons of household waste are collected daily in the Kurdistan Region, the vast majority of which is not sorted.
According to environmental experts, the mixing of different types of waste is one of the causes of environmental pollution because this makes it difficult to recycle.
Iraq is ranked fifth in the world among the countries most affected by the repercussions of climate change, so the United Nations urges people to rationalize their purchases and rely on products and supplies that can be reused.
I feel a change in my daughters' habits and behavior
"I learned to maintain cleanliness, and that throwing away used household items is wrong, and I should benefit from them to make other supplies," the little girl Rayan Hassan, says.
As for Rayan's mother, she says, "After two of my daughters participated in the organization's courses, their behavior towards the environment changed. They became more environmentally friendly, and they also seek to teach their relatives to love the environment and reuse used items."
Rahel Ismail, who also enrolled his daughter in the organization's courses, said, "I feel a change in my daughter's habits and behavior, to the point that she gives advice and guidance to her younger brother."
Ismail's daughter no longer throws away soft drink cans but rather colors them and places them in the house as decorations.
In the music education course, in addition to the support received from the German “Kotte” Institute, Hasan says, “the Directorate of Culture and Arts in Raparin provided us with musical instruments. We also received support from the supervisor of the Raparin administration and the mayor’s office.”
