by Lyle Hurd, totalhealth editor
“Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed people can
change the world, indeed, it is the
only thing that ever has!”
Margaret Meade
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As a native of Iraq who came to the U.S. at the age of 19,
Zainab’s experience in the Iran-Iraq war and later the Gulf war
had sensitized her to the plight of women in war worldwide.
Photo by Amy Murphy. |
A few months ago totalhealth associate
editor Sherrill Sellman contacted us and
related that she had recently become
familiar with an organization called
Women for Women International. She
reminded me that total health is an amalgam of body,
mind and spirit and suggested that serving the needs
of the greater community was an important component
of that equation. She added that Women for
Women International was a quintessential example of
how the impetus and commitment of one individual
can make a difference in the lives of tens of thousands
of individuals.
In the early 1990s a war scorched the Balkan region of
former Yugoslavia. Nothing went untouched, including
thousands of women civilians forced into the infamous
rape and concentration camps. All around the world the
horrors of the camps were documented but the international
community did virtually nothing to help. “It’s too
dangerous right now to help,” they said. And they were
right. It was dangerous. But one woman knew “these
women need help now, not later.” Her name is Zainab Salbi.
As a native of Iraq who came to the U.S. at the age of 19,
Zainab’s experience in the Iran-Iraq war and later the Gulf
war had sensitized her to the plight of women in war
worldwide. After extensive research, Zainab discovered
that no organization existed to help these women. So in
late 1993, just after graduating from college and marriage,
Zainab and her husband, Amjad Atallah, flew to Croatia
to distribute much needed emergency supplies and money
donated by her Alexandria, Virginia community. Zainab
and Amjad were greeted with an overwhelming response;
woman survivor of the rape camps who lost her husband
and children during the war said, “I thought the world had
forgotten us . . .”
Zainab returned to the United States with a mission.
With the continued support of her community, Zainab
started Women for Women International out of her
in-law’s basement, on a shoestring budget and a small team
of dedicated volunteers.
Women for Women International provides women
with the tools and resources to move out of crisis and
poverty and into stability and self-sufficiency. Founded in
1993, Women for Women International works in Bosnia,
Kosovo, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Afghanistan and
Colombia.
War and violence disrupts and destroys life. Women for
Women International works to alleviate the suffering of
women survivors of war, rape, poverty, displacement and
violence. They are a lifeline to survivors that creates a safe
haven where survivors come together to learn, share and
support each other.
Concerned individuals in the United States offer direct
aid and emotional support through monthly financial contributions and letter writing to other women
around the globe when they need it most.
Sponsors contribute $25 per month and are
encouraged to exchange letters with a “sister.”
The “one to one connection” enables a woman
to obtain basic life necessities immediately
such as food, clean water and medicine, as
well as sustain long-term, income-generating
projects.
Today, after eight years of operation, Women
for Women International has grown to seven
countries, distributed over $5 million in direct
aid and microcredit loans, trained thousands of
women in rights awareness, helped thousands
more to start small business and has created a
global community of over 35,000 women.
Zainab has written and spoken extensively
on the use of rape and other forms of violence
against women in wartime.
She was honored for her work in Bosnia by
President Clinton at a White House ceremony
in 1995. She has also been nominated by
Amnesty International for the Arthur Ashe
Award and by Physicians for Human Rights for
the Reebok Human Rights Award.
Zainab earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology
and women’s studies from George Mason
University in 1996. She later earned a master’s
degree in economics and development studies
from the London School of Economics and
Political Science in 2001.
TH: Zainab, please give our readers an overview
of your mission and vision of changing the
world one woman at a time.
ZS: Women for Women International is dedicated
to building a world that ensures equality
and justice for all. Our definition of justice
includes economic, political and social justices
that has gender equality at its core.
Women for Women International provides
women with tools and resources needed to move
out of crisis and poverty and into stability and
self-sufficiency.
Our approach is holistic and grassroots
focused. It begins with matching a U.S. woman
and a woman overseas. The U.S. sponsor provides
financial support and more importantly, emotional
support through letter writing so another
woman knows she is not alone. Once a woman
is physically and emotionally well, she is taught
income-generating skills and rights awareness
training to stay that way. Finally, we invest in the
long-term growth of the woman and her community
through the microcredit program.
Together, these programs help a woman
define her life, discover the power of her own
voice and rebuild her community.
TH: Would you describe the process that takes
place when you initiate a program in the field?
ZS: Basically when we go to the field and
encounter women who are in crisis situations we
provide a whole package of programs for
them over a one-year period. Most of the
countries we work in are conflict areas
and we meet the women as refugees
still in a tent or refugee camp. The
first thing we do is say “calm
down, here is some financial
assistance.” That is when we
connect them with the sponsorship
program. “Here is some
money and know you are not
alone in this world.” We talk
about psychological trauma. A lot
of them feel they are alone in the
world, that they are abandoned, that
no one is caring about them. I can’t tell
you how many times the educated refugees
say, “You people talk about human rights but
where is the world when our human rights are
violated?” So basically the first thing we do is tell
her, “Don’t worry, you will be okay.”
This is reinforced through the sponsor program
when she starts getting letters from a
women saying “I care, I am going to help you.”
The sponsor does that by sending money, which
most of the time is the only money she will have
to meet her needs. Once that happens, she can
stop to take a breath; she gets freedom from the
cash. Now she can go to the store and buy what
she needs—the fruit, vegetables, medicine,
shoes—for her and her family. Then we say,
“How can you begin to move on because you
cannot be a refugee all of your life?” These
women definitely need to move on and move
on pretty fast. We ask about her skills; can she
get a job, where can she work. Most of the time,
regardless of social, economic or educational
background, when you are in a stage where
everything you had was taken away from you,
you are in a state of shock. So even if you are the
best carpenter in the world, you wouldn’t know
it at that moment. We realize what we need to
do is teach her a skill, a skill she can use to get a
job. However, money is not the solution.
Money is a big help but it is not the only solution.
We have to work on their self confidence,
self esteem, on knowing the value of their contribution
to society, knowing what is within
their rights and what is not normal. Domestic
violence is an example. A lot of times when we
talk to a woman she takes it for granted that it
comes with being a woman—that you get
beaten up.
The process is to let them know that it is not
normal. This is not part of your gender or
reality—shouldn’t be, at least.
The second phase of the program has two components. One is the technical skills training and one is what we call “women’s role in society” training. We teach her about her value, her contribution to society, her rights and we teach her very tangible things like business planning and marketing. The whole idea behind this is that the solution to poverty or injustice is a multiplicity of solutions. There is no magic wand. You have to address social aspects as well as the economic aspects.
During the one-year period, they are getting
money, getting trained and corresponding with
a sponsor. However, at the end of the year the
challenge is how can they move on to getting a
job and becoming an independent person. That
is why we give them loans through the microcredit
program or open up employment opportunities
for them to connect with former
employers. In some countries we have a store
and they sell their products in these stores.
TH: How do you go about selecting the women
who participate in your program?
ZS: We are very particular about reaching the
most vulnerable group of women within the
community. Mostly it is displaced women in
Bosnia and Kosovo. It is widows of war in
Rwanda because you have 70 percent of the
population who are women. It is survivors of the
widowhood practice in Nigeria. It is refugees in
Afghanistan or refugees in camps, or refugees,
regardless of their martial status.
TH: Hopefully these are women, who through
the program, will heal and grow to where they can
begin helping other people in the community.
ZS: Absolutely. To see the transformation
that is occurring in their lives is fascinating and
the most rewarding experience. Talking about
spirituality, this is why I exist. It is the most
rewarding experience in life to see that transformation
in their faces and personalities and their
commitments.
TH: What is the microcredit program and could
you give us an example of how it operates?
ZS: The microcredit program currently operates
in Bosnia and Kosovo. The goal is to help
women become self-sufficient and contribute to
economic growth in countries currently lacking
capital. Women, particularly those in rural
areas where jobs are limited, are given small
loans to start a business. Women also receive
training in business planning, record keeping
and marketing.
Today, Women for Women International has
extended loans to nearly 1,500 women for a total
of $3 million and has maintained a 99.7 percent
repayment rate on those loans.
Zeynaba, a Bosnian refugee, is a perfect
example of how the program can work to help
women achieve economic self-sufficiency.
Before Zeynaba joined Women for Women
International in September 1997, she earned
$57 a month, had few friends in her new village
and was dependent on relatives to help
her support her two children and husband.
Today she runs her own business, has more
customers than she can handle and is earning more than $400 a month.
After hearing a presentation about the microcredit
lending program, Zeynaba formed a solidarity
group with other women in her
neighborhood, then signed up for training on
how to run a small business. When Zeynaba
received her first loan for $580, her business took
off. She purchased a milking cow and sold milk
and cheese to neighbors. With the profit, she
was able to pay off her loan a month ahead of
schedule. In August 1998, she took out a second
loan for $1,300. With this she bought another
cow and cheese-making machine. With her
business thriving, Zeynaba is now planning for a
third loan to buy a tractor for farming. To celebrate
her achievements, Zeynaba bought her son
a new pair of shoes. “It’s the first time in seven
years,” she said.
TH: How can individuals become involved with
Women for Women International?
ZS: Today, thousands of women around the
world are survivors of war and violence.
They have lost their homes, their security
and their livelihoods. Some women become
refugees to escape war, starvation and indignity.
They are exhausted and living on the
margins of hope.
These women need support and help. We all
can make a difference:
Become a sponsor. Give direct financial aid
and emotional support.
Become a partner. Support programs to help
communities in need.
Become a supporter. Contribute to underwrite
Women for Women International’s commitment
to the long-term growth and selfsufficiency
of a woman who has endured
violence, dislocation and war.
For information on how to become involved
with Women for Women International visit our
Web site at www.womenforwomen.org or
contact us at:
733 15th Street NW, Suite 340,
Washington, DC20005
Tel: 202-737-7705
Fax: 202-737-7709
TH: Thank you Zainab. Women for Women
International is changing the world for thousands
of women, one woman at a time, every
day. Sherrill Sellman is absolutely on target
when she suggests that serving the needs of the
greater community is an important component
in achieving total health. I encourage our readers
to take the opportunity to participate in your
crusade.
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