FYF meets Kurdistan Regional Government officials and establishes presence in Duhok province
Dear Friends of the Free Yezidi Foundation,
In the last months the FYF has taken significant steps forward in order to bring our projects to fruition. To ensure our resources are used in the most efficient manner possible, three FYF board members conducted a trip to Kurdistan in June. Meetings with senior KRG officials, NGO leaders, civil society activists, foreign representations, and international organisations have helped FYF to refine the details of its projects and activities.
The FYF country coordinator is now deployed in Duhok, and the first of the FYF women’s centres and children’s centres will be operational before the end of the year. In addition, the FYF has teamed up with the Jiyan Foundation, the University of Worcester, and EMDR HAP Europe to deliver post-trauma training to two dozen professionals based in Kurdistan. The training has been fully funded by the German government and will commence this fall. The Free Yezidi Foundation is pleased to contribute to this training, in coordination with our esteemed partners, and we are also exploring options to provide training to public sector practitioners in coordination with the KRG.
The Free Yezidi Foundation will be operating on two levels. As mentioned, post-trauma training for field practitioners will help Yezidi girls and other IDPs by ensuring that they receive better post-trauma care. Separately, FYF centres will provide ‘safe spaces’ for children and for women where they can benefit from enriching activities, skill training, and educational programs. Through these safe spaces, children and women will have the opportunity to access post-trauma assistance. The FYF is extremely grateful to fellow NGOs and friends of the Foundation for their invaluable advice and support in the last months. This has helped us to better plan the activities at our centres and training initiatives going forward.
The Free Yezidi Foundation was impressed by the level and the scope of support demonstrated by the citizens and the government of the Kurdistan Region regarding the plight of the Yezidi people. On behalf of the Free Yezidi Foundation, I would like to reiterate my gratitude and appreciation to all the officials and citizens working on rescuing the girls who are still missing, providing relief and assistance to our survivors, and advocating for international recognition of these attacks as acts of genocide.
This autumn FYF will begin conducting its first post-trauma training courses in Kurdistan and will open the women’s centre and children’s centre. In addition, an FYF delegation will visit the United Kingdom to speak to parliamentarians and government officials about the plight of Yezidi women and how to best provide post-trauma assistance.
To see a photo album of the Free Yezidi Foundation visit to Kurdistan in June, please follow the link below.
FYF visit to Kurdistan – June 2015
Sincerely,
Pari Ibrahim
Founder and Executive Director
Free Yezidi Foundation
