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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