Dear Supporter,
Here in the United States, Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Moms will soon receive messages of love and gratitude from the ones they care for. As we get ready to honor the mothers in our lives, I want to share Khanim's story with you. She’s not only a mom, but an inspiring woman leader who risks her life to keep women safe in Kurdistan.
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Khanim has always defied expectations. When doubters said it was impossible to open an independent women’s shelter in Iraq, she proved them wrong. She runs ASUDA, one of the first Iraqi NGOs to combat violence against women. Where Khanim works in Kurdistan, gender-based violence is on the rise. Two years ago, ISIS began targeting the region’s Yazidi women and girls. Thousands were abducted and abused. A new mom at the time, Khanim was determined to search for survivors and offer care.
"My daughter was just 5 months old when I started going to the refugee camps. It was hard to leave her, but I had to go. In this chaos and crisis there were mothers, like me, trying to care for their daughters.”
Vital Voices is proud to partner with Khanim as she continues to provide much-needed services for survivors of this senseless violence in Iraq. She reminds us of the sacrifice and courage that true leaders embody. This Mother’s Day, as you pay tribute to those important women in your life, I hope you’ll join me in also honoring women like Khanim.
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With gratitude,
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Ps - If you are still looking for a gift for Mother's Day, please consider supporting one of our Network members:
Lula Mena - Lula, a past VVGROW Fellow, uses her business to invest in women artisans who live in San Salvador's at-risk areas.
Andalou Naturals - Andalou has been an active supportive of women's leadership, and donates a portion of the proceeds from their Path of Light hand cream to Vital Voices.
Cambria Wines - As a female-owned and operated winery, they believe that when strong women work together, they can change the world.
Avon - Through a partnership with the Avon Foundation for Women and the U.S. Department of State, Vital Voices launched the first-of-its-kind global program dedicated to assisting victims of extreme forms of gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices around the world.
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