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Meet Marwa, a single mother by choice in Iraq

Marwa Raed Taha is a rarity: a single mother by choice in Iraq.

She managed to wrangle a divorce from her husband, after he refused to allow her to work.

Now, she cares for her two daughters while chasing after her dreams head on.

But she says she's made to suffer for her independence.

"Society here has no mercy at all. It is merciless. It is not only a patriarchal society, it's not only that, but even the rights that we have in theory, as people who are part of society, they are not really granted to us."

Taha did not question her future as a housewife when she got married at the age of 22.

But as the years passed, she realised that she was starting to suffocate.

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Raising her two daughters had always been her priority, yet she also realised that she had ambitions of her own.

As an engineering graduate, Taha carved out a path in-line with her skillset.

"So I got employed at the electricity directorate, first with a daily salary, but then I got a contract. But this does not generate me an income because we do not get our salaries. So I decided to develop myself and create a work opportunity that represents me, Marwa, and I am passionate about so that I can work in it and get an income. And this is 'GG', my waste recycling project."

Taha's start-up is called Green Gold - and is dedicated to recycling organic waste and producing compost.

Through a farm she established herself, Taha raises awareness on the importance of sustainable agriculture.

Once her project grows, she wants to employ women who are unable to work outside of their home -

inspiring others to carve out their own slice of independence, too.