This Mother’s day, we are lighting a candle to celebrate more than a hundred mothers who are part of our program in Baghdad. These resilient women have overcome unimaginable hardship to provide a better future for themselves and their children. Below is the story of one woman, whose dedication and resilience are at the heart of our work.

Hanan is married with two children, Noor, 13, and Mohammed, 12. Our business trainers immediately identified her as a quick and tenacious learner and were even more impressed with her dedication when they heard her story.

“I’ve felt buried ever since I got married fourteen years ago. My husband doesn’t believe in me,” Hanan shared.

At first Hanan’s family forbade her from participating in our program. They locked her up in her home until her son Mohammed jumped a fence to let her out. She now brings Mohammed with her to attend classes.

So far Hanan has completed three trainings. In the first training, she learned about self-confidence, teamwork, how to find a job, and how to communicate with her family about joining the work force.

“After the training I discussed it with my husband and persuaded him that I have to work,” she shared. “I joined this program to provide a source of income for our family. But the most important thing is that I want to feel myself. I want to feel like I’m a person who has impact.”

After work readiness training, Hanan completed a more intensive business management training, which teaches skills including budgeting, costing and pricing, marketing, and inventory management. For vocational training, Hanan chose to learn to sew, and is now working to launch a sewing business.

“Before the sewing training, I did not have the courage to sew as a business. I did not think I was capable of sewing for others,” Hanan said. “Now… I have the confidence to turn this into a career. After the training I purchased sewing tools and fabric to start my own business.”

Hanan wants to achieve economic liberation so that she can transform her family’s future, and create a different path for her two children: “I dream to see their graduation day…to see them working and succeeding at what they do. I left college when I got married. And for the last fourteen years, I’ve thought about college and dream of finishing my studies. I want to achieve what I have missed through them.”

In honor of Mother’s Day, we asked Hanan what message she would like to share with the world about Iraqi mothers. “For years we have been living in a very tough situation, fighting stereotypes and a male-dominated society,” she told us. “What the world must know,” she continued, “is that Iraqi mothers are heroes.”

*The picture of Hanan sewing a bag was taken by Mayada, our Program Specialist, during sewing training in April.