Our UN Trust Fund project supports Ghazal's bakery

Ghazal is a 42-year-old Yazidi woman originally from Sinjar who was displaced in 2014 due to the conflict impacting on her village.

She settled in Derabon camp, and for many years has been the only one working within her family. “I handle my whole family financially and take care of six kids,” she says.

During awareness outreach conducted door-to-door, our team met Ghazal and identified her as a possible candidate for business management training through our three-year project with The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.

Ghazal was selected to participate in the four-day business management training course, as well as awareness sessions around gender-based violence.

“I decided to be a part of the business training in order to improve my baking skills, so that I can help my family and provide everything they need,” she adds.

Like so many victims of the conflict, Ghazal has suffered from psychological problems over the years, saying: “I wasn’t comfortable because my husband is unable to work, and that was the reason I was always sad. 

“But after participating in the GBV awareness sessions I felt better because I was able to share my feelings and thoughts.”

Through the UNTF programme, we supported Ghazal’s venture by providing her with a dough mixer and an oven for her small bakery.  She is already seeing improvements in her business, and says: “I hope I can make my shop larger in the future.”

 The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women is the only global grant-making mechanism dedicated to addressing all forms of violence against women and girls at local and national levels. Our project has also seen us providing mental health support and case management services to survivors, as well as Positive Masculinity workshops which are designed to change traditional perceptions around women’s roles and end harmful behaviours against them. 

We’re so pleased to see the new opportunity the project has brough Ghazal and many other women like her.