Shelters for Women in Iraq

With your help, our partners at the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) helped a woman named Aya,* and changed her life.

Aya, a widow and the head of her household, were terrorized living in ISIS-controlled territory. She faced unimaginable heartbreak, when her daughter and son were killed in ISIS attacks. She took her two sons and a granddaughter, and together they fled. They found a farm to work and live on. But conditions there were dismal, and they had little access to food and water. Things got even worse when she lost her job on the farm, and they ran out of places to go.

Our partners at OWFI are active in their local community and have a wide network of contacts. One local activist contact found out about Aya’s situation, reached out to OWFI, and asked them to help.

OWFI immediately mobilized to bring Aya and her family to a safe house, where they got the food and shelter they needed. OWFI provided the whole family with medical care.

OWFI also helps families obtain official identification documents, so they were able to get a birth certificate for Aya’s granddaughter. Now, she will have proof of her relationship to Aya and her nationality. A birth certificate will also enable her to go to school and get a job when she is older, see a doctor, and buy property.

Thanks to your support, Aya, her children and granddaughter are safe and receiving the care they need to heal and rebuild their lives. Thank you for making this lifesaving program possible!

*Names have been changed to respect the privacy of individuals.