In the wake of the devastating ISIL genocide against the Yazidi community in 2014, the story of Azad emerges as a beacon of resilience and hope amid unimaginable darkness. Hailing from the tranquil town of Hardan in Sinjar, Azad was just a 9-year-old boy filled with aspirations of a bright future. With a family of eight, he cherished the simplicity of life, relishing his studies and nurturing dreams of one day becoming a doctor or teacher.
However, the tranquillity of Azad’s world shattered when the ruthless grip of ISIS tightened around Sinjar. Suddenly, innocence was eclipsed by terror as Azad and his family faced the horrors of abduction and separation. In a cruel twist of fate, ISIS tore apart the fabric of his family, snatching away his father, brother, cousin, mother, and sister, leaving Azad and his fellow male relatives at the mercy of their captors. “I was too little and didn’t know what was going on,” he says, reflecting on that terrifying time.
Forced into the confines of the so-called “Sharia Institute”, Azad and his peers found themselves thrust into a nightmare, stripped of their childhoods and thrust into a twisted curriculum of violence and oppression. Dreams of classrooms and playgrounds gave way to the harsh reality of combat training and indoctrination. The echoes of brutality reverberated through the halls as ISIL enforced their reign of terror with ruthless efficiency, subjecting disobedience to unspeakable punishments.
ISIS employed various methods of torture if the boys violated any of their rules, such as beating with cables or wooden sticks. After this period, Azad and his friends at the Institute endured a siege and bombardment that was no better than before.
“We were forced to participate in battles, in a war that wasn’t appropriate for our ages,” Azad shares sadly, recounting being moved across locations including Badush, Tal Afar, and Mosul, for five terrible years of captivity.
Yet, amid the darkness, a flicker of hope endured. Azad and his friends clung to the distant promise of freedom, their spirits unbroken despite their hardships. Enduring years of confinement and displacement, Azad’s resilience never wavered. Through the relentless siege and relentless bombardment, he remained steadfast in his determination to defy the tyranny of ISIL.
“They moved us to Baghouz and then to Al Hol Camp,” he remembers before he was moved to Khansour, and an IDP camp for displaced Yazidis. “After that, I joined the Jiyan Foundation to take part in some psychological sessions, where I noted an improvement in my psychological state,” he says.
Upon his liberation, Azad found solace and healing in the compassionate embrace of the Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights. Through therapeutic sessions and psychological support, he embarked on a journey of healing, reclaiming fragments of his shattered psyche and piecing together the remnants of his fractured spirit.
“When Azad first came to us, he was suffering from severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. He exhibited a range of distressing symptoms, such as self-harm and difficulty communicating with both his family and society,” says Nada Salm, a psychotherapist at the Jiyan Foundation in Nineveh. “As psychotherapists, we conducted several sessions with Azad to help him overcome his issues, and our psychiatrist prescribed medication to aid his recovery. Our social worker also provided support to help Azad face the challenges he was experiencing. In addition, our legal team guided him and helped him understand his right to reparation based on Yazidi Survivor’s Law.”
Today, as Azad reflects on his journey, he does so with gratitude and resilience. His journey from victim to survivor is a testament to the indomitable strength of the human spirit. With each step forward, he carries with him the echoes of his past, transformed into a beacon of hope for others who have endured similar trials. Through his resilience and determination, Azad stands as a testament to the enduring power of hope in the face of unspeakable darkness. “I have improved greatly since my first therapy session, and I encourage everyone who has been through similar circumstances during the previous period to visit therapists and begin their healing journey to overcome what we have been through and alleviate our pain,” he says.
The Jiyan Foundation’s impact is made possible through the support of the German Federal Foreign Office.
Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights US is a 501(c)(3) organization. Gifts are deductible to the full extent allowable under IRS regulations.
Jiyan Foundation supports survivors of human rights violations, promotes democratic values and protects fundamental freedoms with programs in Iraq, Kurdistan-Iraq and Northern Syria.
