Rebuilding hope in Mosul

Building sustainable futures through textiles

Mosul, a historic city on the banks of the Tigris River in Iraq, was severely devastated during the ISIS conflict. More than 70% of the city’s infrastructure was damaged before it was retaken in June 2017. Today, Mosul is rebuilding, but recovery takes time, investment, and opportunity.

One of the city’s most important economic pillars is the Waladi Textile Factory. Built in 1980, it is the largest government-run textile factory in Mosul, selling school and factory uniforms and providing approximately 600 job opportunities in the region. In Mosul, the factory has never been just a workplace. For many employees, it is a second home where generations of workers spent decades building their skills and supporting their families. The factory became part of the city’s identity, a place where livelihoods, pride, and community were woven together.

When ISIS took control of Mosul, production stopped and employees were dismissed. Overnight, hundreds of families lost their only source of income. The once-busy production lines fell silent, leaving workers uncertain about their future and the fate of a factory that had long been part of the city’s life.

Even after liberation, returning to the factory was bittersweet. Buildings were worn, machines outdated, and production capacity limited. Many employees continued to show up not because conditions were ideal, but because of their deep attachment to the factory and their belief that it could one day recover.

Human Relief Foundation (HRF), partnered with an external assessment agency to identify the roadblocks preventing the factory from scaling its operations and achieving long-term commercial viability. One critical issue was the lack of updated skills among employees. The factory’s training centre had been damaged during the conflict and had not been operational for years. Staff had not received training for a long time and lacked essential business knowledge in areas such as marketing, sales, quality control, and modern production techniques.

After consulting with factory management, HRF designed and delivered targeted, tailored capacity building training across multiple departments. Employees gained practical, modern skills that they could immediately apply to their work.

Even after renovation, visibility remained low. Many people were unaware that the factory had reopened. To address this, the project launched a two-month social media campaign. Factory staff developed their first-ever social media marketing plan, promoting not only products but also the factory’s rehabilitation journey.

The results were remarkable. One promotional video reached 300,000 views, sparking a wave of national pride in the comments. Hundreds of viewers celebrated the return of “Made in Iraq” excellence, with many expressing a newfound motivation to support local craftsmanship by visiting the factory's selling points in person. In addition, business pitch conferences were organised to showcase product quality and build long-term agreements with government agencies.

As the project progressed, something deeper than infrastructure began to recover. Alongside renovated spaces and new skills, employees regained confidence and pride in their work. For many, the factory’s revival represents more than economic recovery, it’s a symbol of Mosul’s resilience and determination to rebuild after conflict.

● Where once only a handful of daily orders came in, the factory now receives up to 15 orders per day. It’s a visible sign that customers are returning and confidence is growing.

● The factory secured official business relationships with the Nineveh Central Electricity Distribution Directorate and the Nineveh Electricity Network Branch. Signed memorandums of understanding to ensure future purchase orders, including uniforms and other materials.

● 97% of staff described the shop rebranding as the project’s biggest achievement, noting its success in attracting customers and diversifying the market.

● 78% of staff reported feeling more confident about the factory’s future after the project.

This project did more than restore a factory. It restored livelihoods, skills, and hope