Portraits of Iraqis and Their Dreams

IRAQ -- August 24, 2010 at 12:17 PM EDT

Iraqis' feelings about their country's future are best reflected in what they say about their own personal dreams. The younger ones appear less scarred -- their parents' and grandparents' generations seem far more so. Here's a sampling of people we've met in our travels and their hopes:

Haneen Imad

Age: 19
Hometown: Baghdad
Occupation: Baghdad University student; oud player
Dream: To create a group of female oud musicians from all over the Middle East

Ghazi Essa

Age: 52
Hometown: Baghdad
Occupation: Engineer, director of Doura Power Station, Baghdad
Dream: To be able to give the Iraqi people all the electricity they need

Dr. Samina Abdul Ghani

Age: 45
Hometown: Fallujah
Occupation: Pediatrician
Dream: To come to the hospital one day and find what I need, so I can care for my patients like a doctor in any normal country in the world

Naiem Mahdi Al-Shatri

Age: 71
Hometown: Baghdad
Occupation: Bookseller
Dream: For Iraq to be a country of education and reading again

Kamar Hashem Mohammed Al Nomane

Age: 6
Hometown: South Baghdad
Occupation: Photographer, honorary member of Iraqi Photographers Association
Dream: To grow up to be a professional photographer
View a slide show of Kamar.

Photos by Larisa Epatko

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