Yazidi Survivor Details Impact of Nadia's Initiative’s Women’s Empowerment Program

When ISIS invaded Sinjar, Iraq, Wafa and her family fled their home and took refuge on Mount Sinjar. Her father and older brother were captured by militants and their fate remains unknown to this day.

Although Wafa eluded the terrorist group, life in displacement was not without hardships. Her mother struggles with mental illness and her younger brother lives with an untreated medical condition. After years in a camp, Wafa’s family decided to return home to try and piece together their lives. But upon arrival to their village, they found that ISIS had destroyed their house, stolen their money, and looted their possessions.

With her mother unable to work and no assistance from the government, the burden to support the family fell solely on Wafa’s shoulders. So, Wafa enrolled in NI’s Women’s Empowerment Program, which provides training and grants for women to start their own small businesses.

After conducting market research and composing a business plan, Wafa opened a cosmetics shop. “This project strengthened my self-confidence, self-reliance, and it reduced psychological pressure.”

In addition to business training, the program also helps women learn to cope with stress and trauma with yoga classes and therapy. “From this project, I learned positive adaptation techniques to manage stress, anxiety, and grief.”

With a stable flow of income, Wafa is able to put food on the table and pay for her mother and brother’s medical treatment. Any leftover money goes toward supporting her younger sisters’ education. “I spend every day in this shop for my sisters, so they can continue their studies and have a better future.”