Project Updates — Nadia's Initiative

Empowering Girls and Young Women in Sinjar Through Running

In Sinjar, girls and young women face significant barriers to leadership, physical activity, and access to safe spaces. Over the past year, Nadia’s Initiative has partnered with Free to Run to change that—empowering 300 adolescent girls and young women through running, leadership, and life skills. Using the NI Women’s Center as a key venue, the program created a safe environment for growth and connection, where participants built resilience, developed confidence, and redefined their futures.

Project UpdatesBrandon JacobsenFebruary 26, 2025women's empowerment, Women's Center

NI Hosts Consultative Session with Key Officials at the Women's Center

To support families of genocide victims and the broader community, Nadia’s Initiative (NI) organized a consultative session at the NI Women’s Center, bringing together government representatives from four key directorates responsible for victims’ affairs.

Beyond providing holistic support to women and girls in the region, the Women’s Center serves as a key venue where the community can access essential resources and gain insight into pressing issues affecting their daily lives.

Project UpdatesBrandon JacobsenFebruary 20, 2025women's empowerment

Nadia’s Initiative Statement on Long-Awaited Exhumation of Mass Graves in Sinjar

Today, a team from the Iraqi Directorate of Mass Graves Affairs began the critical work of exhuming mass graves of Yazidi genocide victims in Sinjar City. This essential step is critical to uncovering the fate of innocent individuals who suffered and died as a result of some of the most heinous crimes against humanity in recent memory.

We stand in solidarity with the families who are desperately seeking answers–answers that will bring them peace of mind and restore the dignity of their loved ones.

Project UpdatesBrandon JacobsenFebruary 5, 2025culture

A fresh start for Naveen at the NI Women’s Center

“I felt a sense of belonging and safety at the NI Women’s Center.”

Read the story of Naveen, a survivor and recent graduate of the salon training program implemented at the new Women’s Center in Sinjar.

Project Updates, Beneficiary TestimonyBrandon JacobsenNovember 1, 2024women's empowerment

Nadia's Initiative Hosts Graduation for Participants in Pilot Programming at the Women's Center in Sinjar

Earlier this month, Nadia’s Initiative celebrated a significant milestone at the Women’s Center in Sinjar, hosting a graduation for the inaugural class of participants from the “Women’s Empowerment Through Education and Vocational Training” project. More than 120 women and girls successfully completed various courses at the Center, which opened earlier this year.

Project UpdatesBrandon JacobsenOctober 14, 2024women's empowerment

Nadia's Initiative rehabilitates WASH infrastructure in villages across Sinjar

With generous support from UAE Aid, Nadia’s Initiative (NI) worked with Dorcas Aid to rehabilitate WASH infrastructure in 10 villages across Sinjar. This support provided a lifeline to families (nearly 20,000 individuals in total) throughout the region, helping them access clean water and meet their daily needs.

Project UpdatesBrandon JacobsenJune 7, 2024WASH

Economically Empowering Survivors of ISIS Captivity through Interim Reparative Measures

"Our living situation has improved greatly since receiving the interim reparations, as has my psychological state. I am now managing my business, and I feel happy when I realize that I can support my family and community through my business," Safia said.

Nadia’s Initiative and IOM Iraq Break Ground on Cemetery and Memorial for Yazidi Genocide Victims

As the Yazidi community in Iraq continues to rebuild in the wake of genocide, construction of a cemetery and memorial in Solagh, Sinjar, has officially commenced. Launched by Nadia’s Initiative (NI) in 2021 in response to requests from the Yazidi community, NI spent the last two years designing the cemetery and memorial in partnership with community members and a Yazidi architect. This week, construction is officially underway with support from IOM Iraq and USAID.

Nadia's Initiative Opens Basharoz Primary School

It's been a long road, but we have finally reached the finish line! Basharoz Primary School has undergone a complete transformation, with a new look, new classrooms, and updated facilities. We are confident that our students will have the best possible learning experience in this new environment.

Rehabilitation of Public Health Centers in Solagh and Al Hateen Villages

Nadia’s Initiative is working with Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) to rehabilitate and furnish Solagh and Al Hateen(Dugure) primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in North and South Sinjar. The second healthcare project NI and HIA are collaborating on, once restored, these PHCs will provide access to quality healthcare for over 11,000 residents in the region.

Emergency Livelihoods Support for Returnees to Aljzeera Complex

IDPs face a multitude of challenges as they return to their areas of origin to rebuild their lives. Nadia’s Initiative’s Emergency Livelihoods Support project has helped recently returned families in Aljzeera by rehabilitating their shelters.

Nadia's Initiative Restored Access to Clean Water in Bashiqa

We are thrilled to announce the completion of our WASH project in Bashiqa! With reliable access to clean water, residents no longer need to fear the impact of drought in the region and instead can focus on improving their health and quality of life.

Nadia's Initiative Successfully Restores Clean Water in 22 Villages in Sinjar

Nadia’s Initiative believes that access to safe drinking water is a basic human right and is necessary for rebuilding any post-conflict community. That’s why we worked to facilitate the restoration of clean drinking water in 22 areas of Sinjar, as part of our recently completed “WASH to Accelerate Sinjar’s Hope” project.

Nadia's Initiative Facilitates Medical Awareness Sessions Across Sinjar

Together with USAID, Nadia’s Initiative is facilitating medical awareness sessions across Sinjar to improve the capacity of healthcare professionals. The sessions cover how to better address and prevent infectious diseases like cholera, hemorrhagic fever, and scabies to promote improved community health.

Emergency Livelihoods Support in Adnaniya Complex

At Nadia’s Initiative, we are continuing our critical work to support members of the Adnaniya community by restoring electricity infrastructure, rehabilitating and equipping the complex’s police station, and rehabilitating the shelters of 15 families who have recently returned.

Project UpdatesGuest UserJanuary 10, 2023Shelter, Adnaniya, livelihoods, sinjar, Ninewa, iraq, Nadia Murad, Nadia’s Initiative

Nadia's Initiative Concludes Training of 500 Volunteer Teachers

We are thrilled to announce that our Volunteer Teachers' Training program funded by USAID has successfully come to a close! We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all 500 participants for their dedication and hard work. Your commitment to educating the youth of Sinjar is truly inspiring.

Strengthening Sinjar’s Public Healthcare Services

As demands for quality and accessible public healthcare services in Sinjar are on the rise, we are expanding our support for Sinjar’s healthcare sector. Nadia's Initiative and USAID recently provided 5 Public Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in Sinjar with medical equipment, medicines, and supplies.

Eman's Story: Empowering Yazidi Youth Through Access to Higher Education

Yazidi youth are the future of Sinjar, committing to rebuilding what ISIS destroyed and laying the foundations for sustainable peace. Eman is a young Yazidi girl who is promising to do exactly that - giving back to Sinjar by studying English and medicine.

2022 Year End Review: Livelihoods and WASH

From restoring olive groves and farmlands to rebuilding houses to ensuring access to clean water, Nadia’s Initiative’s 2022 livelihoods and WASH work directly benefitted over 100,000 residents in Sinjar and Bashiqa. Watch our year end video to learn more about our 2022 work in the livelihoods and WASH sectors.

2022 Year End Review: Women's Empowerment

Nadia’s Initiative works with women and survivors to develop survivor-centric projects that empower them to take ownership of their lives through the provision of skills training, livelihoods opportunities, financial support, education, legal aid, and mental and physical healthcare.

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