Two workers clean a yellow sedan at a roadside car wash in Nasiriyah run by a group of deaf young men. The small station offers oil changes, tire repairs, bodywork, and washing services, and has become known for its quality and honesty. Photo by 964media.
'Their work is clean and organized'
Deaf trio’s Nasiriyah auto shop faces closure despite reputation for skill and honesty
NASIRIYAH — On a patch of roadside off the central garage road in Nasiriyah, three young men stand beside their modest car service station — smiling, gesturing, and working in near silence. Kazem Hassan, Baqir Abdul-Sada, and Ali Jawad are deaf and non-verbal, but since 2018 they’ve built a reputation for honest, high-quality work, offering oil changes, tire repair, bodywork and paint jobs from a simple roadside caravan.
Now, that business is under threat. The local municipality has deemed their setup an unlicensed structure and is moving to have it dismantled — a prospect the three say would cut off their only source of income.
“I used to sit with my friend Baqir, who worked at a car wash,” Kazem told 964media through a sign language interpreter. “He said he left the job, so we thought about starting our own business. The next day, we began looking for a place to rent and opened this shop in 2018.”
“In the beginning, it was hard to find good work. I used to rely on daily labor,” he added. “But thank God, this work became our source of income. We support our families.”
Baqir, who had experience in painting and washing cars, said the project quickly gained traction. “Finding a suitable job for someone who is deaf is hard. I used to work in car washing and painting. After a while, I sat with Kazem and we decided to launch this project in 2018. Because of our skill, we began attracting customers.”
“Our tools were simple, but people came to know us for our honesty,” he said. “We offer complete services including body repair, oil changes, and tire and mechanical fixes.”
Ali joined after a fall ended his previous job in construction. “I used to work in construction and fell from the third floor, which caused a slipped disc. I couldn’t continue in that field,” he said. “Then Kazem advised me to join their project.”
“I’m married and have two children,” he added. “We have a problem with the municipality, which is threatening to remove the caravan where we work. This place is our only livelihood. We hope they let us stay.”
Customers say the trio’s dedication sets them apart. “These young men are deaf and mute, and they work with precision on tire repairs,” said Mutshar Kazem Al-Khafaji. “I heard about them when I had a problem with my car, so I came to them, and honestly, their work is clean and organized.”
“I recommend any driver with a breakdown or flat tire visit them,” he added. “I hope more of our capable youth take inspiration from them and start small businesses they can rely on themselves.”
