by: Sabria Sadiq / Kurdistan, iraq

As told to: Nihad M Ad / World Orphans Iraq

My name is Sabria Sadiq, and I live in Soran, Kurdistan, Iraq. I am a mother of two sons. In the 1980s, when Kurdish groups fought for their freedom, many fled to Iran due to conflicts with the Iraqi dictator regime. My father was one of the thousands of Kurds who crossed the border into Iran and stayed there for a long time. He later married an Iranian Kurdish woman and started a family, as there was little hope of returning to his homeland. I was born in 1993 and grew up in Iran.

In 2011, I got married and moved to Soran City in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. For the first six years of our marriage, life was economically challenging. We lived with my parents-in-law in a small house and my husband, despite his hard work, struggled to afford our living expenses. I realized that I needed to do something to help my family. In our community, job opportunities for women are limited, and traditionally, women are not allowed to pursue many activities. However, despite all the challenges I faced, I refused to give up and remained determined to provide a better life for my children.

That’s when I learned about a tailoring course offered by World Orphans. Fortunately, I was able to enroll and began learning how to sew. I practiced tirelessly and worked hard to refine my skills until I was able to sew proficiently. Now, I am thrilled to have my own business where I can create clothing, earn money, and support my family.

I am grateful to World Orphans and everyone involved in offering these training courses for vulnerable individuals. With the right resources, support, training, and empowerment programs, anyone can achieve their dreams and overcome even the most challenging situations.

This article was originally published in the World Orphans Spring Insight Magazine 2025.