SoA and Partners Help Remote Yazidi Community in Iraqi Kurdistan

On Sunday, the culmination of five months of planning and collaboration between Operation Give, Kurdish Relief Fund (KRF), and Spirit of America finally came to fruition. In the mountain town of Soran in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, nearly 70 Yazidi families—a minority religious group who has been uprooted from their ancient homelands by Islamic State terrorists—received a truckload of desperately needed humanitarian supplies.
Yazidi families receiving aid

Yazidi families receiving aid

The supplies, which included clothing, shoes, hygiene kits, school supplies, and children’s toys, were a welcome sight in the remote region. Because the area is so isolated, the displaced Yazidi families in Soran rarely receive the same focus that other displaced populations near larger cities do. Working with our partners, and in coordination with our friends at World Orphans, SoA facilitated the delivery of aid to where it was needed most.
President of SoA partner, Kurdish Relief Fund, Najat Abdullah, organizing the distribution of aid

President of SoA partner, Kurdish Relief Fund, Najat Abdullah, organizing the distribution of aid

Najat Abdullah, President of the KRF, personally delivered the supplies to the families. Najat takes pride in his hands-on approach to the distribution of aid. “Changing one family’s life, it makes a lasting difference,” Najat explained during one of the planning sessions leading up to the distribution day.
Kurdish Relief Fund volunteers unloading humanitarian aid at Kawlokan Village in Soran where more than 500 displaced Yazidi now live

Kurdish Relief Fund volunteers unloading humanitarian aid at Kawlokan Village in Soran where more than 500 displaced Yazidi now live

Aside from their immediate impact, the supplies also serve as a potent message from the American people to these vulnerable communities, a reminder that in these trying times, they are not forgotten. This message was not lost on Rasool, the community elder in the Yazidi camp that Najat visited, “Thank God for all the American people that gave us these gifts. Thank you for not forgetting us and our suffering. Inshallah, we will remember always what you have done for us.”
Yazidi families walking home with humanitarian supplies

Yazidi families walking home with humanitarian supplies

SoA is proud of the role we played in serving those who have been victimized by extremists. SoA CEO Jim Hake stated, “We are committed to helping these deprived communities. In a region where poverty and despair are the building blocks of extremism, alleviating suffering helps those who need it most, keeps us safer, and represents a tangible demonstration of the values Americans hold dear.” Zack Bazzi Middle East Field Operations Manager
Zack served in the US Army and Army National Guard from 1997 to 2008, completing four overseas deployments to Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

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No endorsement of Spirit of America by the US Department of Defense, Department of State, or US personnel is intended or implied.

Registered 501(c)(3). EIN: 20-1687786

“You don't have to wear a uniform to serve the nation.™” and “Patriotism without politics.™” are trademarked by Spirit of America.

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