'Charity Wall' brings joy to Irbil's residents in need

A local resident of Iraq's predominantly Kurdish northern city of Irbil began a project aimed at providing clothing for the needy residents of the city. Resul Saleh set up what he calls the "Charity Wall" beside a building in Irbil's Bnaslawa district, on which local residents can hang clothes which they no longer need for poorer residents to take and use. The wall bears instructions "If you don't need it, leave it here; if you need it, take it."

"The number of those who need help in Bnaslawa is growing day by day," Saleh told Anadolu Agency. "We want these people to feel that they aren't alone."

Irbil has recently seen a large influx of refugees from war-torn Syria and elsewhere in Iraq. While the city's needy residents were initially reluctant to take the clothing, Saleh said they eventually warmed to the idea. He added that his "Charity Wall" had been inspired by similar projects he heard about in other countries. "The people of Bnaslawa have welcomed the project," he said. "Many of them have come to contribute. Now those who need them come and try on the clothes as if they were at a shopping mall," Saleh beamed, adding "It's a great opportunity for residents of the district to help one another." Saleh plans to expand his project to include books and toys for children.