” I am Leyal*, a Yezidi from Sinjar. I used to live in a large house with my uncles and cousins – 32 people in total. We spent the days doing agricultural work, looking after our cattle and crops. Our lives drastically changed on 3 August 2014. The Islamic State (ISIS) came to our village and killed my male relatives immediately, my father, brother, cousins and uncles. ISIS killed them because they see us as infidels (kuffar), unworthy of life and liberty. All the females in the house were taken into captivity, kidnapped, enslaved, raped, beaten.
I lived through hell. I finally escaped captivity in 2019 and am staying since my escape in an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Iraq. After all of the trauma, I was now living alone in a tent. all I remember is how pleasant life was, our cattle, green farm, my brothers and cousins giggling. I joined FYF courses and received MHPSS services. I learned about FYF’s services on 3 August 2021, during FYF’s presentations, on the commemoration of the day that changed our lives forever. The social workers and the environment made me feel so welcome. It helped me to begin interacting with others again!”
*Name has been changed to protect the survivor’s identity
FYF works to support the most vulnerable members of the Yezidi community by providing them with education, economic empowerment, post-trauma treatment, and access to justice. If you want your donations to have a real impact on the lives of women and children affected by conflict, please consider giving to FYF today.
