“I am who I am today because I believed in myself when no one else did. My success wasn’t luck; it was a decision not to surrender.”
Rand, Bashiqa
From Despair to Determination: The Rebirth of S1BA97
Partner: Better World Organization for Community Development (BWOCD)
Project: Providing Livelihood and Protection Services to Women Returnees in Nineveh/Mosul Governorate
Supported by: UN Women
From Comfort to Crisis
When war reached Mosul, Salma’s world collapsed overnight. As violence spread, she fled with her 15-year-old son, who has a disability, leaving behind everything she owned.
From Literacy to Entrepreneurship
In the peaceful town of Bahzani, life once smiled on Rand. Surrounded by a loving family, she enjoyed a happy childhood and began her adult life full of hope. Marriage and motherhood soon followed, but with them came unforeseen struggles.
Her husband stopped supporting the family, leaving her to shoulder every responsibility alone, from feeding her children to keeping a roof over their heads. Seeking help from her in-laws brought only criticism and emotional pain. The home that once promised love became a place of isolation and anxiety. Depression grew, and she began to wonder if a better life was still possible.
A Turning Point with BWOCD
Hope returned when she learned about Better World Organization for Community Development (BWOCD) and its life skills activities, implemented in partnership with UN Women under the Livelihood and Protection Services for Returnee Women project.
What began as a simple decision to attend a training soon changed everything. Guided by a psychologist who recognized her resilience, she joined a Business Management course, followed by Vocational Training in Candle and Ceramic Making.
During these sessions, she discovered more than new skills, she found healing and purpose. Each candle she poured and each ceramic she shaped helped her rebuild confidence and rediscover her creativity.
From Learner to Entrepreneur
Encouraged by her counselor, Rand began creating candles and ceramics at home. Her craftsmanship quickly drew admiration from friends, neighbors, and even customers beyond her community. Orders started coming in, and what began as therapy grew into a thriving small business.
“With every candle I make, I feel stronger,” she shared. “This is not just work, it’s my way of shining again.”
Today, her candles light homes across her community, and her story illuminates the path for other women seeking hope after hardship.
Lighting the Way for Others
Through the support of BWOCD and UN Women, Rand transformed despair into determination. She is now an entrepreneur, a mother, and a symbol of resilience, proof that when women are given opportunity and support, they can rebuild their lives with dignity and strength.
She didn’t just create candles, she created a new beginning, flame by flame.