Nadia's Initiative Beneficiary Shares Dreams of Building New Life

While living on her family’s farm in 2014, Lavin dreamed of going to university to study law. But before she could complete secondary school, ISIS began its genocide against the Yazidis and took Lavin and her sister captive. After several failed attempts, Lavin was able to escape captivity and return to Sinjar.

“Although I was very sad about my brothers and knew nothing about [what had happened to them], I decided not to give up and to start a new life,” said Lavin, now 22 years old. In pursuit of her new dreams, Lavin enrolled in NI’s Women’s Empowerment and Livelihood Program, which will provide her with business skills training and a cash grant to start her own business. The program also provides psychological support and one-on-one time with a caseworker, so Lavin now has a safe place to process her trauma. Her favorite part, Lavin says, is the yoga class (pictured) where she is learning stretching and breathing exercises as positive coping mechanisms.

Lavin’s new dream - establish a restaurant in her home village. As part of the program, Lavin drafted a business plan, will be trained in food safety, and will receive a cash grant to set up her restaurant, which she hopes to open by the end of the year. “I learned something from this project: that I need to depend on myself to help my family,” says Lavin. “I will work hard so I can make my small restaurant bigger and convince my community that the survivors can start a new life for themselves. A woman has the right to do anything in her community.”

*Lavin’s name has been changed to protect her identity

Special thanks to our partners the Government of Japan, IOM Iraq, and Mission East.