Meet Our Admin Assistant Shang: "I’m always excited to go to work"
Shang is an Admin Assistant at the Lotus Flower, who has personally experienced the horrifying effects of conflict. As a very young girl in 1991, she was displaced to Turkey with her family, and recalls: “My father was a doctor back then, working in displacement and curing wounded people there.”
A decade later, the family faced further displacement, and by 2003 were living in Amedi in Kurdistan. “People were fleeing again, schools stopped providing lessons and were emptied because those who fled to rural areas moved into schools due to fear of bombardment and chemical weapons,” she says.
“I remember my father teaching us how to use face masks we made with coal in case of chemical attacks in our town. He also taught us how to run to the nearest shelters quickly in case of emergency. We knew this knowledge could save our lives one day.”
Many years later, Shang studied English Literature at Duhok university, and then successfully applied to become a team leader in our Earth Sisters project. Explaining her role within the six-month project, she adds: “We provided climate-related training for women and girl IDPs, refugees, and host communities in Duhok. The special part of this project was that the participants were from a very diverse group, and those women and girls then became leaders themselves, each in her respective community.”
She was pleased to see the Earth Sisters make considerable progress as a result of the training. “I helped many women and girls enhance their skills, learn more about climate change and gender-based violence. Additionally, some of them were able to find new job opportunities.”
After Earth Sisters concluded, Shang began working as Admin Assistant with us, a role she has had since January this year. “I work with different sectors and departments within the Lotus Flower, including HR, Logistics, and Finance, doing a lot of documentation and archiving.”
She has found the role to be personally rewarding, saying: “I especially value the opportunities for self-improvement here, and when I wake up in the morning, I’m always excited to go to work.”
Shang has developed a good working relationship with senior staff members, saying: “The management team is very understanding, creating a comfortable environment. I have also acquired new technical skills and expanded my knowledge during my work. I used to approach new job opportunities with caution, but now I embrace them as chances for personal growth. Now I am confident in my ability to adapt to various roles and responsibilities, and feel prepared to tackle any challenge.”
We’re so glad to hear it!
Sisters' Stories: How Boxing helped Ghazalah get her life back on track
Trigger warning: contains suicide references
Ghazalah is one of the participants in our latest Boxing Sisters programme, kindly supported by Medica Mondiale.
Aged just 11 when ISIS attacked her region of Sinjar, she and her family were forced to flee their home, and they ended up at Rwanga displacement camp. Like so many victims of the conflict, Ghazalah experienced severe mental health challenges over the years, which in her case led her to question the point of life. Heartbreakingly, she says: “I once believed only suicide could offer relief from the terrifying obsessions I endured.”
But after struggling with recurring suicidal tendencies and overwhelming fear and uncertainty as a young woman, Ghazalah’s participation in our boxing course has resulted in huge improvements in her wellbeing.
The skills acquired during the training sessions have given her new inner strength and calm, while our trainer Nathifa has provided her with vital psychological support.
As the participants of Boxing Sisters usually find, the sessions also improve their fitness, confidence and self-belief, while enabling them to begin processing the complex emotions that are linked to past trauma.
Many of the girls have experienced unimaginable suffering while living through conflict and displacement, and being able to express their pent-up anger and grief in such a safe and supportive space is key to unlocking their recovery.
Ghazalah now feels much more optimistic about her future – and would like to become a boxing trainer herself in the future. Her story is just one of so many that show how this programme helps empower girls and bring them together for communal healing…
Sisters’ Stories: “My life changed from useless routine to a more beneficial one”
Dereen is a 24-year-old from Duhok who has been taking part in our Cash for Work programme, in which she has been helping renovate historical sites to protect them for future generations.
Despite graduating from the department of Geology at the University of Duhok, Dereen remained stuck at home due to a chronic lack of job opportunities in the local area. But she always knew she wanted to work, in order to be able to be financially independent.
Prior to taking part in our project, which is supported by BMZ and implemented by GIZ and ourselves, she had little energy and felt depressed due to unsuccessfully applying for many jobs.
The project sees participants assisting the Directorate of Antiquity by restoring two historic castles, Kambalan and Dilbe. In doing so, they are preserving the sites for the enjoyment of others, and also safeguarding the city’s rich heritage and history.
Speaking of the project, Dereen says: “The Lotus Flower provided me with an opportunity to work in the restoration of historical places as a cash-worker. I met new people, achieved self-reliance, and enjoyed the experience, and my life changed from useless routine to a beneficial one.”
Initially, Dereen thought that the role would be too challenging. But, as she became involved, it became easier, and accordingly, her desire to keep working in historical locations has grown.
She believes that taking care of such monuments is important, since a nation’s identity is often defined by its history.
“I gained confidence, and in the future, I will be more prepared to work in a history-related role,” she adds.
Although the Cash-for-Work programme is temporary, Dereen now plans to begin searching for a permanent job in a similar field, and hopefully, the experience and practical knowledge she has gained along the way will stand her in good stead to achieve her goal…
Sisters' Stories: "Women and girls are strong enough to make radical changes in their community"
Fatima is an incredibly courageous young woman who we’ve been able to support through one of our livelihoods projects with SEZ.
Originally from a village in the district of Bashiqa, she is a survivor of physical and psychological violence, and was forced to quit her studies at university by an abusive husband.
Fatima eventually got divorced, but then suffered more misfortune when she fell ill with a tumour. She managed to keep studying despite a gruelling hospital treatment programme, and thankfully, she eventually recovered and was able to graduate.
A year later Fatima remarried, and after her father bought a house for her and her new husband, she decided to seek employment to help stave off depression she was experiencing.
It was then that she applied for our livelihoods opportunity in Bashiqa, which saw her participate in business management training. She was then able to embark on a career in photography, and soon afterwards opened her own ‘Sama Studio’ in her village. As well as offering photography, printing and framing services to clients, she sells stationery items to students, and now earns a modest income to support herself and her husband.
Having made a success of her business, Fatima says: “This was the first chance I had to use my skills practically. I am convinced that women and girls are strong enough to make radical changes in their community, and now most people accept the idea that they can run a business successfully.”
Fatima is pleased to have become something of a role model for other women and girls in her area, and she has also written essays and articles about social and domestic issues for Iraqi and Kuwaiti newspapers.
SEZ, also known as the Baden-Württemberg Development Cooperation Foundation, has been one of our key partners since 2020. Together, we have delivered multiple several successful projects, including awareness-raising around the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. And as a huge supporter of our Women’s Business Incubator programme, SEZ has helped us change the lives of many other women like Fatima.
We hope to keep creating such opportunities for a long time to come!
Sisters’ Stories: “I am thankful for my successful sewing job”
Hayam is originally from Sinjar but was displaced due to conflict in 2014, and now lives in Essyan camp. “We suffered a lot,” she recalls. “There was death, hunger and we spent a terrible week on Sinjar mountain. When ISIS attacked, they captured people and killed them, taking some as hostages. Everything was bad, and our lives were in danger.”
When Hayam heard about our She Leads in Food Security project last year, she decided to apply. The project focused on improving the economic status of displaced people, refugees and returnees through income-generating initiatives and climate-smart agriculture, and also included business training for participants.
The project was well suited to Hayam, because in the past, she had been talented at sewing, but had few opportunities to pursue her ambitions. “I used to borrow a sewing machine from a friend and make dresses and sell them,” she says.
After taking part in our business training sessions, she was selected to receive a financial grant, and this enabled her to set up independently. “I bought my own machine and opened a sewing shop. It has been good for me,” she adds. “I am thankful for my successful job.”
Using her skills, Hayam makes and sells various different types of clothing to the community, including traditional white dresses worn regularly by Yazidi women – which you can see in the pictures.
We delivered the She Leads in Food Security programme in partnership with Care Iraq through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The project has also seen many other successful businesses launch – including several farming and agricultural ventures, as well as a café for girls. We also handed over the running of eight previously derelict greenhouses to a group of women at Essyan camp, so they can feed their families healthy foods and sell vegetables to the local market.
We love seeing how the project is providing so many opportunities for women to be self-reliant and economically independent…
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Sisters’ Stories: "This garden brings an indescribable sense of mental peace"
Taqsima is a 65-year-old woman originally from Damascus, who was forced to leave her home due to the Syrian conflict more than a decade ago.
“We fled because youths were being abducted and forcibly recruited into the military,” she says. “Due to the lack of shelter, tough financial circumstances and limited job opportunities, we decided to migrate to Kurdistan in 2013.”
Although Taqsima always had a passion for agriculture and growing plants and flowers, she had little outdoor space and no way of being able to further her interest.
However, earlier this year we opened a community garden at Domiz 2 camp, which was part of our She Leads in Food Security project, delivered in partnership with CARE Iraq through funding by GIZ. The garden aims to improve food security, with raised beds for growing fresh vegetables and plants, and Taqsima is one of its beneficiaries.
She enrolled in our agricultural training course, saying: “Despite my age, I participated in the course, and after two months, I now cultivate parsley, rocket and other vegetables and plants. I spend most of my time taking care of my garden.”
It’s a well-known fact that getting outdoors and gardening is hugely beneficial to our physical and mental health, and Taqsima adds: “My health and wellbeing have improved significantly. I've made new friends, I walk more, and I’ve gained more interest and knowledge about vegetables and plants. Visiting the garden brings an indescribable sense of mental peace.”
It’s feedback like this that makes what we do at the Lotus Flower so rewarding, and why we’re so keen to reach women of all ages.
And with food security and climate change posing such a severe threat to Iraq, we believe these sorts of initiatives will become increasingly important in the coming months…
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Sisters’ Stories: Zahra and Shatha launch a joint events business
Zahra and Shatha are two women who have recently been able to start an events business together, thanks to our livelihoods project with SEZ.
Previously, the two women had struggled to find good employment opportunities, and they told us: “It is really hard and challenging to graduate from university and not find any jobs to contribute to the community and play an effective role in bringing change.”
But after taking part in small business training and receiving funding through the project, the pair have set up an events company in Rojbayan village, which is located between Bashiqa and Bartella. The enterprise sees them cover local wedding and engagement parties, birthdays and graduation ceremonies, providing clients with professional video and photo footage. They also have a section in their shop which is dedicated to stationery items.
As well as learning how to run a business and promote it on social media, they developed the skills needed to be more confident, solve problems and make key decisions, while they also received mental health support to ensure they can juggle their daily lives with the demands of work.
They can both now support their families financially, and as Zahra says: “It feels wonderful when we have money in our own pockets to spend as we want, and no longer have to ask for it from others.”
Shatha adds: “We are now more aware of our rights and responsibilities as females; we know what we need to present to our community.”
Although in the beginning they encountered some negative responses towards them as female business owners, community members have now fully accepted the idea, and many even prefer women to attend and cover their events as it was previously such a male-dominated industry.
In future, Zahra and Shatha also hope to bring other groups of women together, so they can share the knowledge and expertise they have both gained through the project.
As always, we just love seeing women thrive and grow through their own initiatives and ideas…
Sisters' Stories: How our power girls gym is helping Rosa recover from surgery
Rosa is one of the beneficiaries of our Power Girls Gym, our in-camp facility where women and girls can now exercise in a safe and welcoming environment.
Rosa is 22 and originally from Sinjar, but displacement during the ISIS conflict when she was just a young girl forced her and her family to flee to safety in the mountains. “We were without food, water or any supplies for eight days, and had only the clothes on our backs,” she recalls.
“During the day, we were exposed to the scorching sun, and at night, the weather was extremely cold. We were terrified that ISIS would find us, and lived in constant fear of being killed or harmed. It was a terrible time.”
Rosa and her family ended up living at Essyan camp - where life was far from easy. “It was incredibly challenging,” she adds. “It was the first time I had seen a refugee camp, and I would look at our nylon tent and wonder, ‘How will this protect us from the cold, the heat, or fire?’ But to this day, we continue to live inside it.”
As part of a large family, Rosa’s father could not earn enough to support them, so she had to find work, despite her young age. She began working as a potato farmer, but in 2021 suffered a life-changing injury. “On our way to the camp, our car was involved in an accident, and I broke my leg,” says Rosa. “I had to undergo surgery, and my doctor recommended that I engage in physical activity to regain proper movement in my leg. Unfortunately, there was no gym in the camp, so it was very hard to do this.”
Earlier this year, thanks to kind support from Care Iraq, we opened our Power Girls Gym in the camp, and it has helped Rosa hugely. “I started going there every day to exercise, and now, I can move my leg again. I'm thankful to the Lotus Flower for providing this facility, which I so desperately needed.”
The gym is well equipped with a treadmill, exercise bike and elliptical trainer, plus weights, kettlebells, benches and mats, resistance bands and step platforms. There also lockers for participants to store their belongings safely.
Many other women and girls who use the gym have never had the opportunity to work out before due to strict patriarchal customs and traditions, but now they can meet friends and exercise together at their own pace. Not only is keeping fit vital for physical health, but also for mental wellbeing, and we’re so glad to be able to provide this essential service…
Sisters' Stories: Meet our Earth Sister Vaman
Our Earth Sisters have been doing an incredible job in raising community awareness of climate change and implementing their own environmental initiatives recently, and here we’d like to share the story of one of the participants.
Vaman is 28 and lives in Duhok city with her parents. After growing up in Iran due to the unstable security situation in Kurdistan, she went on to graduate in Physics from the University of Duhok’s College of Science. She has also volunteered and worked in different humanitarian fields, and served as a teacher for six months too.
Before starting her working life, Vaman says she had little self-confidence. “I had a shy personality and never expressed my feelings clearly,” she says. “I also did not have confidence in my abilities. But after engaging in work life, I discovered my strengths and this was the beginning of my journey of self-development. I wanted to be an active member in society, to be engaged and improve my weaker points – especially in communication skills.”
Vaman was accordingly very keen to sign up for our Earth Sisters project earlier this year, which is supported by the German Consulate in Erbil. She adds: “I believe women and girls must have active roles and participate in this kind of training so they can become more educated and leave their fingerprints in changing the world for the better.”
During the course of the project, she found the leadership training especially helpful, as it taught her how to deliver messages more scientifically and logically. “The training was very beneficial for me both practically and psychologically,” she says. “I can now apply the methods in other areas of my life and share them. For instance, I have a six-year-old cousin and I am teaching him what I have learned, and how he can be a leader even at his young age.”
Vaman now plans to share her newfound skills with other young people who can help make a difference in society by holding conferences on leadership and producing a short film on her experiences of the programme.
As we reported in a recent blog, Vaman and her fellow Earth Sisters have been busy implementing their own climate-related initiatives in recent weeks, including a clean-up of blocked sewers and drains in Baroshke.
They also gave trees to new mothers for planting in their gardens to improve air quality, and helped install an irrigation system at Duhok University for watering newly-planted trees. Art projects were also unveiled in school and university settings to promote climate change action, and a ‘Safe Water’ initiative saw young children provided with environmentally friendly reusable water bottles.
We’re so proud of Vaman and all the Earth Sisters for their achievements so far…
Sisters’ Stories: “It’s hard to express the happiness and hope this project gave me”
Ghayda is a 22-year-old Yazidi girl from Bashiqa, whose father was a successful beekeeper before he lost everything in the ISIS attacks.
In the aftermath of the conflict, Ghayda found herself stuck at home and suffering from feelings of depression and despair. However, when she decided to participate in beekeeping training conducted by a local organisation, things began to turn around for her. In addition to what she had learned from her father over the years, the training gave her a good theoretical background on caring for bees and making honey.
Having always clung to the hope that she would be able to start her own beekeeping business and engage her father in the practice again, Ghayda recently had the opportunity to take part in our business management and training project, which is kindly supported by Stiftung Entwicklungs-Zusammenarbeit Baden-Württemberg (SEZ).
The training and business grant Ghayda received meant she was able to kickstart her dream, and thanks to support from our psychosocial facilitator, she refused to let any negative feedback stop her. Rather than accepting gender stereotypes which imply that females are not acceptable or qualified to run such a business, she insisted on being part of the change. “I became completely convinced that females can run businesses just as well as males, and that they can even do it better,” she says.
As well as keeping bees, Ghayda now has ambitious plans to establish a sweet-making business which can operate during their hibernation period. She has also found herself sharing mental health advice and life skills with other women she knows.
Overall she has found the experience has really changed her life for the better, and says: “The Lotus Flower provided me with an opportunity to work in the beekeeping field and it’s hard to express the happiness and hope this project gave me.
“I also got rid of my depression and I now have strong self-confidence and am more aware of everything.”
Through this project, we have been able to provide financial grants to 50 women like Ghayda, as well as psychosocial support and awareness of critical topics such as gender-based violence. As a result, the women have not only elevated their income but also become better able to care for their families, without relying on external assistance. It has also sparked wider engagement, inspiring more women to step forward and contribute to the collective growth of their communities.
We’re so pleased with how this programme has turned out and will share more stories from it soon…
Sisters' Stories: “Drawing allows me to channel negative energy within me”
Nadima is an 18-year-old who was displaced from Sinjar during the ISIS conflict, when she was just a young child. “My life before displacement was beautiful,” she recalls. “I used to go to school, play with my friends and classmates, and I was very happy. However, everything changed on that dark day in 2014.”
Like so many others in the region, Nadima was fast asleep at home when the attacks first turned her family’s life upside down. “I heard the sound of gunfire, and when my family and relatives gathered, we decided to try and escape because if we stayed, we knew they would kill the men and take the women. We fled to the mountains and stayed there for seven days. We had very little food and only a small amount of water for more than 60 people.”
The family then walked to the Syrian border and eventually reached Kurdistan and the relative safety of Essyan camp. Nadima began attending school there, but now has to study and maintain a job at the same time because her father is ill and unable to work to support them.
“Life in the camp is tough,” she says. “Some nights, we can't sleep because we fear our tents might catch fire, and we might burn with them. The tent is not really a shelter from the harsh conditions and weather either.”
She first heard of the Lotus Flower through a Facebook post about our art therapy classes, and adds: “I attended the course and discovered my love for art. Drawing allows me to channel negative energy within me and transform it into beautiful artwork. I have benefitted greatly from the course, and it has allowed me to leave my tent and make new friends.”
Our art therapy classes have extremely positive effects on many of those who survived the conflict, and self-expression through creative practice is known to alleviate trauma, as well as improving mental health.
We’re so glad Nadima has found an outlet for what she suffered as such a young girl, and what she continues to endure while living in displacement…
Sisters’ Stories: “It was my dream to have my own business”
Seve is a 29-year-old displaced woman who was forced to flee her home in 2015 during the ISIS conflict.
Devastatingly, she lost one of her eyes during the tumultuous period, but a critical lack of money prevented her from seeking proper medical treatment – especially as her husband also needed treatment for long-term illness.
But thankfully, things recently took a turn for the better, when Seve was selected to receive business training and a financial grant through our project with The Big Heart Foundation and NAMA Women. Using her new skills and the funding, she decided to open her own small supermarket in Essyan camp. In the shop she sells all kinds of foods, snacks and cosmetic products, and her new venture is thriving within the community she serves.
“It was my dream to have my own business and to support my family,” she says. “I am happy now.”
While providing a much-needed source of income, the business also serves as a fitting symbol of Seve’s strength and resilience. In her role, she is able to juggle her responsibilities as a businesswoman, caretaker and the breadwinner of her family, and it gives her a much needed focus when other aspects of life in displacement are so difficult.
Now saving up for the eye surgery she desperately needs, Seve is hopeful of a future where she can prioritise her own health – without compromising the wellbeing of her family. “I’m so grateful for the amazing support,” she says. “Hopefully the Lotus Flower will be the reason that I’ll be able to see from both of my eyes again in future.”
We very much hope so…
You can see Seve in this short video about this project below, too.
Sisters' Stories: 'I want to play a part in changing the climate for the better'
Mahabad is a 24-year-old originally from Sinjar who now lives in Shariya.
When ISIS attacked her family’s village in 2014, they had to leave their home and all they had known, seeking refuge on Sinjar mountain. “I witnessed the death of many women and children there, due to thirst and hunger,” says Mahabad.
After fleeing, they eventually settled in Shariya, but life was still very difficult. “I suffered psychologically, but we are coping with the situation and it is slowly getting better.”
Thankfully Mahabad was able to resume her studies, eventually graduating from the University of Duhok’s Department of Nursing in 2021. During the pandemic, she worked as a home visitor, and also in a pharmacy for four months.
Earlier this year, she applied to take part in our Earth Sisters project, supported by the Consulate General of Germany in Erbil. The project is raising awareness of the climate crisis in Iraq, and the ways it exacerbates gender-based violence, while also identifying ways of reducing risks. Participants have also been trained in communications, critical thinking and leadership skills.
“I wanted to take part in Earth Sisters because I wanted to learn about the connection between GBV and climate change, which was new and different for me. Being chosen as one of the 50 Earth Sisters made me happy, and I was very excited to participate in the training sessions – to gain knowledge, meet new friends and stop the process of overthinking which I had been suffering from.”
Mahabad is pleased to be helping raise awareness of the environmental crisis which is affecting Iraq, and says: “I want to play a part in changing the climate for the better, and to share these messages as much as possible.”
Over the coming weeks, she and her fellow Earth Sisters will put their training to good use by leading their own community initiatives on climate change and the ways in which people can reduce the risks. These will take place in and around Duhok, and will raise awareness of gender injustices, women’s rights, and crucially, the critical role women and girls can play in the global climate change response.
We’ll keep you posted on their progress…
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Sisters' Stories: 'I learned how to start and grow a business'
Amal is a 33-year-old displaced woman and mother of four, originally from Sinjar.
“My life before displacement was very difficult because my financial situation was so poor,” she says. “When I was younger, I was skilled at tailoring, but after getting married in 2014, ISIS entered Sinjar and destroyed and looted everything. They also took women and girls away and killed so many men.”
Amal and her children escaped to the mountains, which she calls “the only place that could protect us.” They stayed out in the open for 12 days without food and water, which was a plight suffered by thousands of other Yazidis too.
When Amal arrived at Essyan camp, she found life hard, but the only other choice was homelessness. A lack of money meant she couldn’t continue with her tailoring work, but she managed to save up with a friend to buy a shared sewing machine.
Eventually, she learned about the Lotus Flower through an advertisement in a women’s shop, and earlier this year saw that we were running a livelihoods initiative called She Leads in Food Security. “I participated in a course on nutrition, which benefitted me a lot because it taught us how to maintain our health,” she says.
“After that, I took a five-day business management course, which was very beneficial. I learned how to start and grow a business and how to manage it better. I was then selected to open a tailoring shop with the organisation’s support. I’m so grateful for the Lotus Flower’s assistance.”
Having recently ended, our She Leads in Food Security programme was delivered in partnership with CARE Iraq through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The initiative focused on providing income-generating and agricultural initiatives, as well as awareness-raising around the climate crisis in Iraq, and the escalating need for sustainable solutions.
Although the project has finished for now, its long-term impact is set to continue – with Amal and other women like her now able to earn incomes for themselves and support their families.
We’re so glad to see Amal making a success of her new business, strictly on her own terms…
Sisters' Stories: "The climate crisis is making people’s lives very difficult"
Sara is a 30-year-old participant in our Earth Sisters project, who lives with her parents in Duhok city. After graduating from the University of Duhok’s Agriculture College in 2018, she worked in a number of different roles and says: “From childhood I was an active girl with big dreams, and my ambition was having my own business. My family’s support helped grow my self-esteem, and enabled me to start my business as a clothes designer in 2021.”
As Sara was also keen to improve her technical and life skills, earlier this year she signed up for our Earth Sisters project, in partnership with the German Federal Foreign Office in Erbil. “I had no idea about how climate change increases gender-based violence, and this was very interesting for me to know,” she adds. “The climate crisis is making people’s lives very difficult – especially those who are economically dependent on agriculture, as the affected areas are suffering badly from drought.”
Along with her fellow Earth Sisters, Sara learned how climate change is linked to domestic and economic violence, as well as early marriage and many psychological issues. “After the training, I realised how serious this crisis is, and how it affects almost all families.”
Sara has accordingly decided to study for a Master’s in Climate Change, and says: “I am very excited to start my degree. I chose this topic in order to have a more active role in my community – by conducting campaigns and publishing awareness materials through short videos on social media, and to share knowledge of the interrelation between GBV and climate change.”
Believing that all women and girls can be accountable in response to the climate crisis, Sara continues: “I feel a responsibility to deliver this message and explain to my family how each individual can bring change. So I always request them to follow steps in our daily routine – like switching off lights when not needed, and not to waste water. I give these messages to my neighbours and relatives too, so they can be aware about the effects of climate change in the long term.”
In the coming weeks, Sara hopes to join the other Earth Sisters to deliver a range of community initiatives that will focus on climate change awareness and changing social behaviours.
We’re so glad she is finding this important project so informative and helpful…
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Sisters’ Stories: ‘I have gained a lot of information, knowledge and skills’
Halima is a 37-year-old conflict survivor originally from Syria who has lived at Domiz 2 refugee camp for many years. She previously worked as a teacher and was happy and comfortable in her role, but in 2012 she and her family were forced to flee their home. As well as losing everything they had and the stability of their life together, Halima was also horrified to witness the torture of a loved one during the war. The impact of such trauma was very hard on her – especially as she also lost her son in the process of getting divorced.
While homeless in Kurdistan, she and her family had scarcely any food and little access to support services. It was then that they sought refuge at Domiz 2 camp in Duhok. “Our life is so difficult here, but we are coping with the situation,” she says.
Halima needed to support her family financially, and eventually got a part-time job with the Department of Labor and Social Affairs (DoLSA) inside the camp. “I wanted to be an active woman in the community and help women in the camp speak out and demand their rights,” she adds. “Hence I wanted to work with a humanitarian organisation inside the camp.”
Earlier this year, she signed up for our Earth Sisters project, which is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office in Erbil and aims to increase the capacity of women and girls to help mitigate against climate change risks.
Having taken part in training sessions covering climate change and its known links to gender-based violence, Halima says: “The training is giving me a new experience that will hopefully serve me in my life and my work. This subject is new for me and very interesting and important – especially for camp residents, as the climate has an effect on people’s psychology and lives. I have gained a lot of information, knowledge and skills which are important for me in my career and personal life.”
When all 50 Earth Sisters complete their initial training, they will lead 10 initiatives in the community to help raise local awareness of the need to step up defences against climate change in Iraq.
“I am grateful to the Lotus Flower staff who have been supporting me,” Halima says.
We’re just glad we have the chance to impact on the lives of so many survivors through vital projects like Earth Sisters…
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Sisters' Stories: "I never believed that one day I would have my own business "
Gulistan is a 27-year-old woman who lives in Rwanga IDP camp. She had always dreamed of having her own hairdressing business, but despite plenty of experience of working in a salon, she had limited opportunities for growth and a lack of financial resources to pursue her entrepreneurial aspirations.
When she had the chance to take part in our womens’s business incubation project, which is supported by The Big Heart Foundation and Nama Women, that all changed for Gulistan.
Thanks to the project, she received a financial grant, along with small business training and mentorship to support her in launching her own salon. And happily, we’re able to share with you the news that her business is now up and running.
Not only was Gulistan able to find and secure a suitable location for her salon, but the grant also meant she could purchase high-quality equipment and invest in a range of haircare products. In addition, the training she received through the project equipped her with essential business skills such as marketing, customer service and financial management.
Gulistan's dedication and passion saw her work tirelessly to create a warm and welcoming environment in her salon, ensuring that every customer receives a professional and personalised service.
She says: “When I was working before, I never believed that one day I would have my own business and be able to run it myself. My dream came true when the Lotus Flower selected me and supported me to become a business owner and decision-maker within the community. I’m so grateful to every person who has helped me.”
As a successful entrepreneur, Gulistan is contributing to the economic growth of her community, and also inspiring other women to pursue their goals fearlessly. It’s another example of the transformative power of women in business, and the positive impact they can have on individuals, families, and the entire community.
By earning a sustainable living for themselves and their families, women’s confidence and self-esteem is boosted too, while attitudes and perceptions around women’s roles are changed for the better.
Gulistan is just one of 10 women who have been able to start their own business through this latest iteration of our incubator project, and we’ll share more about their stories soon too…
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Sisters' Stories: Meet our new Cyber Sister Asia
Originally from Sinjar, Asia is one of the participants of our new Cyber Sisters project, which aims to protect women and girls from online abuse while actively increasing their participation in the digital world.
Having endured many difficult years in displacement, she says: “When ISIS took over our area, they were killing and slaughtering people, so we ran away.”
Now aged 24, Asia lives within Chamishko camp in Zakho district, and adds: “Life has been hard under a nylon tent, but I didn’t ever give up.”
Nevertheless, she found herself battling depression due to the trauma and displacement she suffered, so when she heard about our Cyber Sisters project, Asia decided to sign up. “I thought it seemed like a good project for self-improvement, supporting and encouraging women, and awareness for society,” she says. “Thankfully, it turned out I was right. The project is amazing.”
Along with the rest of her cohort, Asia has been undergoing training in digital security, and they will soon lead their own training for 500 other women and girls on online safety. Sessions cover vital topics like cyber abuse and bullying, stalking and intimidation, grooming and trafficking, the dishonouring of women, radicalisation, safe gaming and social media, plus data protection and identity theft.
“It has helped me become more aware about cyber abuse, and how to make other girls more aware of the ways of reporting cases, and to whom. I’ve also learned that a woman should trust herself more, so nothing can break her, and how we can be leaders.”
The project is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office through Cordaid as part of the ‘Women's Voices First’ programme, which supports female-led organisations to advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Iraq. We’re hugely grateful for this opportunity not only to engage and enhance the skills of young women like Asia, but also to be helping protect vulnerable women and girls from rising cases of cyber crime…
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Sisters' Stories: “Boxing has made me braver”
Entisar is an 18-year-old woman who was living happily with her family and cousins in Sinjar before conflict broke out in the Kurdistan region in 2014.
Like other children her age, she loved going to school, learning and playing with her classmates in their small village. But when ISIS attacked, the family were forced to flee, leaving everything they knew and loved behind.
They spent many terrible days trapped on Mount Sinjar with thousands of other innocent families, and despite being just a child, Entisar witnessed the deaths of many women and children due to hunger and thirst. Tragically, in the chaos of the war, she also became separated from her siblings – and even today she and her parents have no idea what happened to them.
They have been living at Essyan camp ever since, and Entisar says: “Our life is so difficult here, but we are coping, and it is getting better.”
However, the situation in camp meant Entisar had to stop her education, which had many negative effects on her wellbeing. “I’ve had so many mental health symptoms such as anger and aggression, and I began having bad thoughts which affected my health.”
When she heard about our boxing and literacy project with Medica Mondiale, she decided to sign up. “I had wanted to learn boxing for some time, but until then I was not aware were people who could teach me,” she says. “When I started the classes I was able to control myself and I became calmer. Now I am looking at life positively.
“Another benefit I’ve gained from boxing is that it’s made me braver. I know I have skills to defend myself when needed, and also to express myself even without talking.”
In future, Entisar even wants to participate in boxing championships – as well as completing her studies.
We’re so glad this project has given her the confidence and self-belief she had lost…
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Sisters' Stories: "We had no trust in anyone"
Jina is a Syrian refugee who spent much of the conflict living with her husband in Damascus, where every day was filled with the threat of violence and death.
“There were armed people around, airplanes bombing the city, and injured people receiving no help,” she recalls. “I always imagined a terrorist entering our home and attacking us. When I could no longer live like that, we finally moved southwards, seeking safety.”
Jina and her husband ended up at Domiz 2 refugee camp in Kurdistan, but found adjusting to this strange new life extremely difficult. “We did not fit into camp-life because we had no trust in anyone, due to trauma, fear and our damaged mental health,” she says.
Eventually, things became a little easier to manage, and mother-of-two Jina started taking part in the Lotus Flower’s English language classes. “I also joined awareness sessions at the centre, and would feel joy and excitement every time I visited,” she adds.
Through learning new skills and meeting other women like her, Jina’s confidence increased, which has had other positive effects on her wellbeing. “It improved my mental health, and I have found the staff to be so full of life and love. They helped me gain knowledge and encouraged me to work harder on myself.”
Jina then signed up to take part in the Lotus Flower’s Peace Sisters project, which enables women and girls to become mediators in their own communities. The programme offers training in peacebuilding, teamwork, public speaking and communications skills, while it also includes workshops that encourage inclusion, collaboration and open dialogue across multiple faiths, cultures and generations. “This helped me gain more experience in English and improved my ability to work with people with special needs,” she says. “This training and the education and social support offered provides such a positive vibe.”
We’re so glad that Jina has benefitted from our work in these ways, and hope we’ll be able to continue reaching many more like her...
