Yazda

TO SUPPORT THE YAZIDI COMMUNITY AFTER THE GENOCIDAL CAMPAIGN IN AUGUST 2014, BY HELPING THOUSANDS OF DISPLACED FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN UPROOTED FROM THEIR HOMES WITH HUMANITARIAN AID AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

CODE: USG20 + USG21- THIS A PROJECT TO CONTINUE WITH THE EXISTING WORK ON DOCUMENTATION AND ADVOCACY, A NEW PROJECT WAS RECENTLY APPROVED BY USAID. THE PROJECT HAS THREE MAIN GOALS. * CONTRIBUTE TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE YAZIDI CULTURE BY RECORDING TESTIMONIES CONTAINING A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE YAZIDI HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE AND PUBLISHING ACADEMIC ARTICLES IN A DEDICATED REVIEW. * GATHER EVIDENCE THAT FURTHER FACILITATES LEGAL ACCOUNTABILITY BY INTERVIEWING SURVIVORS AND WITNESSES AND LOCATING MASS GRAVES AND KILLING SITES. THIS INCLUDES INFORMING SURVIVORS ABOUT THE LEGAL REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO THEM UNDER IRAQI AND KURDISH LAW AND PUTTING THEM IN TOUCH WITH LOCAL LAWYERS. * ADVOCATE FOR THE YAZIDI COMMUNITY BY USING THE COLLECTED DATA (E.G., CAMPAIGN FOR TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE AND POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION STRATEGIES; CAMPAIGN TO DIFFUSE THE YAZIDI CULTURE, ESPECIALLY TO THE DIASPORA). THE DOCUMENTATION TEAM HAS TWO SEPARATE OFFICES, ONE IN DUHOK AND ONE SINJAR. THESE TEAMS ARE SITUATED TO BEST REACH THE YAZIDI COMMUNITY-BASED IN THE DISPLACEMENT CAMPS AND A SECOND OFFICE IN SINUNE FOR THE RETURNEES. THE PROJECT STARTED IN DECEMBER 2018 AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL SEP 30, 2023.

(CODE: SVM21 + SVM21) - YAZDA STARTED PROVIDING BASIC HEALTH SERVICES IN SINJAR IN EARLY 2015. THE EXTENSIVE DESTRUCTION OF ALL INFRASTRUCTURES MADE IT NECESSARY TO OPERATE THROUGH A MOBILE MEDICAL UNIT. THE DUTCH DONOR - SV HAS BEEN FUNDING THE PROJECT FROM APRIL 2018. BASED IN SINJAR, THIS MOBILE MEDICAL UNIT BRINGS BASIC HEALTH CARE TO 14 VILLAGES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. PATIENTS ARE TREATED FOR BASIC HEALTH ISSUES, INCLUDING CHRONIC DISEASES, SUCH AS DIABETES AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. THE TEAM PROVIDES APPROXIMATELY 1,300-2,000 CONSULTATIONS PER MONTH TO A COMMUNITY OF BETWEEN 7,000-10,000 ON A 5-DAY-A-WEEK SCHEDULE IN THE VILLAGES OF ADEEKA, TAIRAF, ALDEENAH, KHARBAH, QANE, BAYEEV, NAQSAY, BAKRAH, KORMALE, ZERWA, BAKHILIF, SHORKA, GURMIZ, AND KARSE. THE MAJORITY OF THE VILLAGES ARE HARD TO REACH AND SEVERAL HOUSEHOLDS DO NOT OWN CARS OR ANY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. THE PROJECT IS DUE TO FINISH ON THE 31ST MARCH WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF EXTENDING FUNDING.

(CODE: IOMSA21) RETURN OF DISPLACED IN NINEVEH - YAZDA AND IOM, FUNDED BY USAID YAZDA HAS ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION TO SUPPORT THE SUSTAINABLE AND EFFECTIVE RETURN AND REINTEGRATION OF THE DISPLACED POPULATION IN NINEVEH PLAINS AND WEST NINEVEH THROUGH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH. THIS APPROACH UTILIZES LIVELIHOOD, ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE, ACCESS TO SERVICES, SOCIAL COHESION, PSS SUPPORT, DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT, AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. THIS 12-MONTH-LONG, USAID-FUNDED PROJECT HAS SEVERAL COMPONENTS AIMED AT ASSISTING RETURNEES WITH REINTEGRATION. YAZDA OPENED A NEW OFFICE IN SINUNE TO OVERSEE THE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS, MAINLY FOCUSING ON THE LARGE COLLECTIVE VILLAGES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF SINJAR, BUT WITH SOME ATTENTION ALSO ON SINJAR CITY. YAZDA HAS HIRED TWO PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT THERAPISTS BASED IN SINUNE TO START CASE MANAGEMENT AND PROVIDE SUPPORT SESSIONS FOR PEOPLE IN NEED. THIS IS DUE TO START IN 2021. THIRTEEN LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT AS PART OF THIS PROJECT. THESE ARE NINE COLLECTIVE VILLAGES ON THE NORTH SIDE: KHANASOR, SINUNE, DUGRE, DUHOLA, BOREK, GUBHAL, ZORAVA AND HARDAN; AND THREE LOCATIONS ON THE SOUTH SIDE: SINJAR CITY, SULAGH AND WARDIYA AND BASHIQA AND BAHZANI. YAZDA IS ON TRACK TO ESTABLISH 90 SMALL BUSINESSES DURING THE 24-MONTH LENGTH OF THE PROJECT, AND ALSO TO SUPPORT SELECTED COMMUNITIES WITH VOCATIONAL TRAINING. EDUCATION IS VITAL FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN TO RETURN. YET THE GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS IN SINJAR LACK FUNDING, SUPPORT, AND STAFF. CLASS SIZES ARE LARGE AND THERE ARE OFTEN UNPAID VOLUNTEERS INSTEAD OF TEACHERS. YAZDA HAS ASSESSED THE SCHOOLS AND BASED ON THE INFORMATION ACQUIRED, IT HAS SELECTED 8 OF THE MOST VULNERABLE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT MONTHLY WITH SMALL STIPENDS FOR 35 VOLUNTEERS AND ALLOWANCES FOR EACH SCHOOL'S STATIONERY. THESE EIGHT SCHOOLS HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECEIVING SOME MONETARY SUPPORT SINCE DECEMBER 2018. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND MOBILIZATION THROUGH VOLUNTEER GROUPS IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THIS PROJECT. YAZDA HAD A MEETING WITH ALL THE YOUTH GROUPS IN THE AREA AND SELECTED SIX GROUPS WHOSE VISIONS AND PLANS CAN BEST SUPPORT THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT. ALL OF THESE SIX GROUPS HAVE A CENTER WHERE THEY GATHER. AS WELL AS HAVING INDEPENDENT GOALS, THESE GROUPS SUPPORT YAZDA WITH INFORMATION, LIAISING WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND PROMOTING SAFE RETURN THROUGH ADVOCACY AND SOCIAL MEDIA. IN RETURN, YAZDA IS PROVIDING MONETARY SUPPORT FOR TRAINING EVENTS AND CAPACITY BUILDING. * YAZIDI SURVIVOR NETWORK DESCRIPTION: THE YAZIDIS SURVIVORS NETWORK (YSN) IS A PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS AND EMPOWERS SURVIVORS OF THE ISIS GENOCIDE, HELPING THEM TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES, EXPRESS THEIR NEEDS, FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, AND PURSUE ACCOUNTABILITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ON NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS. YSN WILL ALSO ADVOCATE FOR THE EXPANSION OF EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS AND THEIR VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES IN IRAQ. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE NETHERLANDS. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.