German aid workers in Iraq risking their lives to help civilians | DW Documentary

A German NGO has been helping citizens behind the dangerous frontlines of Iraq. Doctors and paramedics are working here as volunteers.
The Berlin-based aid organization Cadus treats people who have been injured or wounded in the war against the so-called Islamic State. Its teams work within range of enemy rockets and mortars. That means trying to help while in constant danger. Cadus treats people who otherwise receive little or no medical care. "Many of the people there have not seen a doctor in years. The health system has totally collapsed,” says Fee Baumann, regional manager for northern Iraq. Cadus often arrives just days after a village has been reclaimed. The teams are composed of doctors, paramedics and nurses. They are all volunteers. The crews change every three weeks. Cadus was founded in 2014 in Berlin by Sebastian Jünemann, a qualified paramedic and psychologist. Jünemann was already familiar with the way international aid agencies operate. "I often did not feel comfortable with the working atmosphere, plus the realization of the projects was often not very efficient.” He and some like-minded people decided to provide unconventional, direct humanitarian aid. Because their mobile hospital can be assembled or taken down in just a few hours, Cadus can follow the shifting frontlines. Although the team can only operate under the protection of the Iraqi army, they treat every injured person they encounter, no matter what side they belong to. To good effect - Cadus has saved the lives of hundreds of people in northern Iraq.
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