Raising Smiles to Brighten Lives

By Broadside Reporter Jared Trice.

Now a junior at George Mason University, Zeina al-Khalaf began a nonprofit organization as a junior in high school that has raised nearly $100,000 in an effort to care for wounded Iraqi children.

Al-Khalaf is still continuing in her efforts to care for children wounded in Iraqi war zones. The program, dubbed Raising Smiles, operates as a bridge that closes the gap between the wounded children and the necessary medical attention provided in the United States.

Al-Khalaf is informed of the wounded children by way of soldiers currently stationed in the region. From there, Raising Smiles partners with the Global Medical Relief Fund to secure the necessary documentation for the child. Using only donations, Raising Smiles will then prepare to cover transportation, lodging and other basic expenses.

Once all arrangements have been made to get the child into the United States, medical care is provided by Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, which operates off of a donation system and all care provided is free of charge.

Al-Khalaf explained her motivations for beginning the organization, “During my junior year of high school, I met an Iraqi boy who had been hit by tank fire. The boy had lost both eyes, an arm and burns covered 60 percent of his body. Seeing the boy in front of me really made me want to help him. Being Iraqi, I could not help but think that this could have happened to me.”

Once the treatment has been completed, “the children will return to Iraq with a part of their life back,” stated al-Khalaf. The children are also given $1,600 to cover living expenses upon their return, a sum al-Khalaf says will go a long way.

“The fact that Zeina began this organization in high school is very impressive,” said Georgia Cowley, a former Mason student. “More impressive is the fact that, almost four years later, the organization is more active than ever. It shows that there are not many constraints to one’s age.”

“I just want the students at Mason to look around and see that they can actually help. I also want others to learn about the culture and religion of a country where billions of their dollars are being spent,” said al-Khalaf.

For more information about Raising Smiles, email zalkhala@gmu.edu.