Photo series: Law-student from Amsterdam Pari helps Yezidi women in Northern-Iraq
By Hans van der Steeg – 26th of August in Brandpunt
The Amsterdam law-student Pari Ibrahim (27) was born as a Yezidi; the Yezidis are a religious minority in Iraq. When she was little, Pari fled with her parents to the Netherlands.
Two years ago, the Yezidis were persecuted and chased out of their cities by ISIS. ISIS sees them as devil worshippers. Many men were murdered and thousands of women were taken captive to be used as sex-slaves. When Pari hears the horrific stories from Iraq, she makes a decision. She suspends her education for a year, establishes the Free Yezidi Foundation and begins with helping her people. Brandpunt went to Iraq and met with Pari to see if she managed to fulfill her promises.
On the 6th of September the documentary will be broadcasted; these pictures will give you an impression of the trip.
IDP-camp Khanke (Northern-Iraq). The camp is inhabited by approximately 70 thousand refugees.
Children are waiting for Pari to open the fence. This is the place in the camp where Pari founded a school.
In the classroom. Many of these children were captives of ISIS for a long time. Now they learn English, among other things.
In a different room, women work on their future. Until recently, they were held as sex-slaves by ISIS.
Because of the many donations she received, Pari could buy playground equipment. The refugee-children are very happy with it.
Pari quit her studies for a year to help her people. Now she is proud and happy to see studious young children in a class-room.
Two years ago many Yezidis fled to mount Sinjar. ISIS tried to attack them there, by using things like car-bombs. The effects of that are still visible.
In the recently liberated areas we are guided by the Kurdish army. ISIS is still close, namely, and fires mortars now and then.
Cameraman Boudewijn de Keijzer filming in the destroyed city of Sinjar.
A very harsh confrontation with reality: Pari at one of the many mass-graves, near the frontline. Here, a lot of Yezidi men were executed.
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.
