After 3 August 2014, Shengal has become everyone's common wound and pain.  Êzîdî Woman Support League Foundation Board member Riham Hesen told us the foundation’s purposes, projects and future plans.

ELMAS NAÎF

Shengal – Seven years have passed since the massacre took place in Shengal. Daesh killed more than 5,000 Êzîdîs and abducted thousands of people in Shengal. The whereabouts of three thousand abducted people, mostly women, and children, are still unknown. 80 mass graves have been discovered until now. It is said there are more mass graves that haven’t been discovered yet. The traces of war are still seen in Shengal and the future of the city is still uncertain. The unshakable bond of Êzidî women with life once again pushes them to take a role in rebuilding life despite all that they've experienced. They want to hold on to life and to live in their hometown again. They hope to heal and they work to do that. Êzîdî Woman Support League Foundation works like a beaver to rebuild a life in Shengal.

Êzîdî Woman Support League Foundation was founded in 2019 to provide financial and moral support for Êzîdî women. Three of seven administrators of the foundation were previously abducted and subjected to physical and psychological torture by Daesh. Xemê Berakat, Beyan Mişhal, and Suat Seydo Xelef aim to help Êzîdî women who had been abducted by Daesh. They have worked to heal altogether.

“We can understand each other better,” said the women and set off on their journey. They persistently keep standing on their feet despite the torture, tragedy, and trauma that they have been suffering.  They founded the foundation to provide psychological support to women rescued from Daesh and strengthen their bond with life again.

“We aim to reach all Êzîdî women”

Êzîdî Woman Support League Foundation Board member Riham Hesen told us the foundation’s purposes, projects, and future plans.

“We have been working officially for two years. Our foundation’s purpose is to be hope for women rescued from Daesh, to support them, and to include them in life again. As women, we try to support each other. We also carry out diplomacy works. We aim to reach all Êzîdî women through our works. We determine what women need and provide supports accordingly. We also provide psychological support. We hold workshops for women to encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings.”

First place for women rescued from Daesh

Êzîdî Woman Support League Foundation is the first place for women rescued from the atrocity of Daesh. Riham Hesen said that they work coordinately with Êzidî House (Shelter), “We work coordinately with Êzidî House. First, we take care of women rescued women from Daesh, and then they reunite with their family.”

The main purpose of the foundation is solidarity

The foundation has a kindergarten to give education to children. It has also supported children by creating playgrounds and providing school materials for poor children. Stating that they have organized sewing, painting, reading, and writing courses, Riham said that they have developed projects in solidarity with women's organizations in Baghdad, Mosul, and other countries.

They plant oak trees in Shengal

One of the projects of the foundation is to turn Shengal into a green city. “We will plant oak trees, mostly oak trees,” said Riham while talking about their project. “We are in February now; it is time to plant trees. We already begin to plant trees. The situation is uncertain, the war is going on. Our mountains were green before. The trees were burned in the attacks. We have begun to plant oak trees. We will plant fig, pomegranate, and olive trees.”

“We don’t give up, we don’t lose our hope”

We are hopeful for the future, Riham Hesen said, “We are now heading towards a future. We don’t define this future as an “uncertain” future because we have goals and purposes. We don’t accept anything but success. Surely, we have face difficulties in Shengal but we don’t give up, we don’t lose our hope despite these difficulties.”

Riham gave more information about their projects, “We will organize courses to educate our belief to our children. We don’t want Êzîdî people to be disappeared. When Êzîdî people know their beliefs, they will know their history and roots better. They will be stronger. We have experienced many edicts. Êzîdî people were tried to be eliminated. But resisting Êzîdîs always keep their belief alive. We will do our best to teach our culture, belief, and history to our children. We will never give up whatever happens. Shengal belongs to people of Shengal.”