Photo: Madina, a Yazidi woman who shared her story with us. Sharya Camp, Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
As the world marks the ten-year anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide, we are holding space to remember and lament the unimaginable suffering that our Yazidi friends have faced.
On August 3, 2014, ISIS launched a brutal assault on the Yazidi community in Sinjar, Iraq, leading to the mass murder of thousands and the kidnapping and trafficking of women and children. Only now are the Yazidis starting to return to their ancestral home in Sinjar (Shingal). This past year, over 400 families made their way back, driven by the hope of rebuilding their lives in their homeland. But these hopeful returns are often damaged by the fear of armed groups in the area and the struggle for families to meet their daily needs in villages that are largely still rubble.
Sinjar is plagued by security issues due to the presence of various armed groups. More than ten factions, including Turkish and Iranian-backed militias, have established a foothold in the area, with some predating the rise of ISIS. This instability has hindered the rebuilding of communities, leaving families without basic services like water and electricity.
In the face of these dangers, many people are fleeing to other countries in search of safety, often resorting to human trafficking to reach Europe due to the difficulty of obtaining refugee status. This perilous journey is expensive, and those caught by police often lose everything. As one of our colleagues said, "We are searching for a better life. We don’t deserve this. We have survived a genocide; we know it is illegal, but we have no other option. We have to find safety."
The future of the Yazidis remains uncertain, marred by instability. They yearn to return and rebuild but face immense struggles. After a decade in camps, they return to find little has changed—destruction and suppression persist, with few political advocates fighting for their peace and protection. They call for the removal of militias and the establishment of a safe zone with international support, desiring nothing more than peace and an end to their suffering.
These are also spaces in which your love continues to be at work.
There is much heartache in acknowledging both the history of violence against the Yazidis and its ongoing impact, especially on their children. These are also spaces in which your love continues to be at work.
As one Yazidi said, "I am hopeful about the future. I appreciate that you are all willing to listen to our needs. Just acknowledging us is amazing, and we will never forget your support. We hope you can continue supporting us. Just don’t forget about us."
In the Sinjar region, where education infrastructure was decimated, you’ve been helping rebuild schools to provide a place for students returning to the area to go back to school. You’ve been working alongside inspiring Yazidi young adults running trauma care sessions for kids whose lives have been marked, both directly and indirectly, by genocide and the ongoing insecurity left in its wake.
“The sessions with my teachers helped me to think positively and get rid of negative thoughts about my days.”
In the midst of this, seeds of hope are being planted. Sozan, a young girl who attended a trauma care session shared, “The sessions with my teachers helped me to think positively and get rid of negative thoughts about my days.”
The genocide not only sought to erase the Yazidi people and their ancient culture but also left mental scars on many of the survivors. As we commemorate this anniversary that we wish didn’t exist, we acknowledge the resilience and strength of the Yazidi community as they work to bring their community back to a place of thriving and we honor the memories of those lost.
While the atrocities these communities have lived through will always be a part of their experience, we wholeheartedly believe that working alongside them as they rebuild their lives and set a course forward for their children is truly doing more than just talking about love. It’s putting it into action.
Photo description: A group of Shan State medics (blurred for their safety)
What’s better than sending well-trained, loving, caring medics to children who are hard to reach? We think it’s training local community members to be those kinds of medics.
Training happens at a learning center in rural Shan State, and each year incredibly brave young men and women are trained–Community Health Worker, Medic 1 and Medic 2 training–and are sent out into remote and difficult places to be love-with-action!
Medics like Sai Zin Leng.
Sai Zin Leng is 26 years old and the medic in charge of one of the Shan State clinics. During his early childhood, his family was forced to flee his village due to war. It was five years before the family was able to return to their village.
Despite these challenges, he kept looking for ways to improve his education.
As he was needed to help on the farm, he was not able to attend school. At the age of 13, he was able to study with the monks at the temple, a common avenue for young boys to receive education. But this education was limited and he received few other opportunities to study. Sai Zin Leng became discouraged as he realized he was so far behind in his education. He felt that he did not have the English and Shan language skills he needed, and reading and writing were also difficult for him. Despite these challenges, he kept looking for ways to improve his education.
His keen desire to learn finally led him to come to the medic training in 2015. With very little schooling, academic work was a struggle. But friends helped, Sai Zin Leng worked hard, and he graduated successfully. He has an insatiable love of learning, a strong determination, and deep empathy for his patients.
After doing well in the program, he went to Shan State and has been in charge of clinics ever since.
Working for a year in the clinic at the training center made him confident in his skills. He was then selected to attend Medic 2 training. After doing well in the program, he went to Shan State and has been in charge of clinics ever since.
When asked why he stays when so many others leave, Sai Zin Leng shared that he strongly feels that the country’s people have no one to help them, and they struggle to understand how to be healthy. This commitment to the clinics has come with a huge cost, which is shared by many other medics. Because his village is now under the control of the opposing armies he cannot go back, or his family will be persecuted.
Photo Description: Children at the Partners Healthcare training center in rural Shan State, May 2024.
The departure of many doctors following the coup resulted in a drastic decline in support from the health system.
Working is difficult. Although he no longer struggles academically, he sometimes has feelings of hopelessness because the fighting might suddenly take away all the health gains that his hard work has brought. There are few other educated medics and few resources such as medication, especially for the children. The departure of many doctors following the coup resulted in a drastic decline in support from the health system. There are also ongoing daily concerns about security. The Myanmar army is less of a threat in this area, but the opposing armies are a new problem.
The clinic staff are prepared to flee at a moment’s notice, with their personal belongings and emergency medical supplies packed in backpacks and at the ready. In the face of all of these difficulties and personal sacrifices, Sai Zin Leng shows up with selfless love to make sure that kids in Shan State have a chance to be healthy–and receive treatment when they’re not.
Thank you for believing that too by supporting the medics that can reach them and make that happen!
Walking through the forest for our Partners 5 For Freedom Campaign where we walked around for about 5km and searched for 5 vegetables - found mostly mushrooms!
Behind each portrait of the new 2023 GED students is a story of overcoming challenges and the impact of conflict to pursue the dream of completing their education.
Meet Ching.
"I am from Myanmar. I grew up in a village called Hai Ciin, Chin State. When I was a child, I stayed with my uncle’s family because of my family’s circumstances. I went to school at a non-government school in Myanmar. I really wanted to go to high school or university, but I dropped out of school in the 8th grade and went to work.
I helped my parents because I have two brothers and two sisters. I had to help earn their school fees and I had to support my parents as well. In my culture, it is more important for the men to get an education because they have to provide for their families. That is why I had to stop school and help pay for my younger brothers. I do not think this is good because girls should have the same opportunities.
I desperately wanted to go to university, but I did not have any opportunity to continue school, because of economic problems.
Right now, I work at the Gekko Garden restaurant and I also attend GED class. Sometimes it is very hard to do both of them, but I believe I should do that because it is good for my future. It is difficult to study for the GED because I can’t speak English very well.
After I pass the GED, I would like to go to a university in America or Switzerland and I want to be a nurse.
After university, I would like to go back to my village and I want to raise money to build a hospital. I want to help when they have difficult times, because in my village we don’t have a hospital. When people are sick they have to go to the hospital in the city over the border in India, but it is very difficult for them to get there.
One of my friends was sick and had to go to the hospital, but he died one hour before arriving. There are many other stories like this, but I knew him very well so it deeply affected me. There is also no proper care for mothers when they have their babies. One of my cousins died from a hemorrhage after her baby was born because there was no way to help her. After that, her parents were very depressed and they still have not recovered. Similar things happen many times.
There are many parents who have lost children and they are very sad. When we get together at Christmas, there are many people that we miss who have died, because they could not get medical care. Some people don’t have a choice; their only choice is to suffer and die. This is not fair. People experiencing poverty deserve healthcare and I want to help them.
There are many smart people who would like to learn more and help their people, but they have no opportunity to continue their education. I also wish I could help them to get an education, but there are so many challenges."
We’re so grateful for all the ways your love in action is lifting up these students so their education is not stolen from them by conflict.
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