Shelters for Women in Iraq

Living under ISIS control and suffering from trauma, Sonia* turned to one of the women’s centers created by the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq’s (OWFI). There, she received psychosocial support to aid her recovery as well as English and sewing classes to help her create a brighter future for herself. After completing her courses, OWFI connected Sonia with folks at a clothing factory where she was hired as a tailor! Thanks to your support, Sonia had the space to process her trauma, recover, and build new skills. She wanted us to share with you that her energy has been reignited and she’s hopeful for the future. Thank you for making this life-changing work possible!




*Name has been changed to respect the privacy of the individual

As the pandemic continues to spread, our partners must continually adapt their work to keep their communities safe and our partner, the Organization for Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) is no exception. Throughout the pandemic, OWFI has worked hard to provide safe spaces for women and girls seeking shelter. And they’ve done everything they can to ensure those shelters are healthy places to be, stocking them with hygiene materials and protective equipment.

A critical aspect of OWFI’s services is offering holistic empowerment services for women, but gathering for those services, such as mentorship sessions or trainings, has become impossible due to COVID. That’s where you came in.

Thanks to your help, MADRE was able to increase OWFI’s ability to connect with local women by supporting a secure Zoom account for their use. Now, OWFI can safely organize empowerment sessions and one-on-one mentorship sessions -- services that are even more vital during such stressful and uncertain times. Thank you for making this simple, yet vital service available to our partners -- we’re so grateful to have you standing with us!