Voices from Peace Winds Vocational Training: Episode 4
“I cannot describe my happiness. I am proud of myself, and my efforts haven’t been in vain!” Jamila told us enthusiastically, smiling because she got multiple job offers after participating in Peace Winds’ vocational training course.
Since September 2020, Peace Winds has been providing vocational training courses inside and outside Shariya Camp in Shariya Sub District, Duhok Governorate, northern Iraq for internally displaced persons (IDPs)–people who have been forced out of their homes but remain in their country. Participants, including women and youth, can take courses in home maintenance (electricity and plumbing), cosmetology, and leadership, helping them gain skills they can use to find future income-earning opportunities or contribute to the community.
Peace Winds has shared voices of the program’s participants in three separate articles. In this fourth and final article, you’ll hear from Jamila, who participated in the vocational training course for cosmetology.
Jamila, 24, fled from Sinjar after an armed attack on her hometown and now lives with her relatives in Shariya. When her family moved to Europe in 2015, Jamila was finishing her last year of high school and could not go with them. Although her family tried everything to reunite with her after she graduated, they couldn’t do so because she was no longer a minor. Jamila went through a very difficult period of feeling alone without her family, so she began to occupy herself by learning skills in makeup.
Although Jamila has a college degree, finding job opportunities was a challenge. The Peace Winds cosmetology course seemed perfect for her; she was able to learn more about makeup, something she already enjoyed, and build vocational skills that would help her find work.
During the training, Jamila proved her enthusiasm, determination, and passion for learning new skills in the cosmetology field. The instructor of the course, an owner of a local beauty salon, even complimented Jamila’s remarkable skill and potential. As a result, Jamila got her first job offer from her instructor and will work as an assistant at her salon after finishing the course. Not only that, but Jamila received another job offer from the owner of the salon where she is currently an intern through the Peace Winds training program. She told us with a smile, “I cannot describe my happiness. I am proud of myself, and my efforts have not been vain!”
Peace Winds believes in the power of youth and has been pleased to witness our vocational training participants gain confidence and broaden their opportunities. As we have done with the cosmetology course, Peace Winds will continue to offer vocational training opportunities while considering the cultural, social, and job market characteristics of the target region to ensure the effectiveness of the program.
This activity was funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and generous donations from our supporters. Thank you for your continued support.
To read other articles from the vocational training series, visit https://peacewindsamerica.org/blog/
