LocationsLighting the way – from displacement to empowerment
December 21, 2025
When 25-year-old Nuha Jiyad Ahmed returned to her hometown of Al-Baaj in Ninewa, she found more than broken buildings, she found broken spirits. After years of displacement, life in the camp had stripped away her sense of identity, hope, and purpose.
“We lost everything, our home, our land, even our dreams,” Nuha recalls. “In the camp, I felt invisible, like a number, not a person. I wanted to be someone again.”
Before the conflict, Nuha lived a simple but fulfilling life surrounded by family and neighbors. Her family relied on farming and livestock, and she dreamed of becoming a teacher, someone who could inspire others. But that dream was paused when violence forced her family to flee.
The years in displacement tested her in every way.
“There was no privacy, no security, no light, only survival,” she says. “It was as if life had stopped.”
When Nuha finally returned to Al-Baaj, the challenges of rebuilding were immense. The town bore scars of destruction, and returnees like her faced social stigma and limited opportunities. Yet Nuha refused to let her circumstances define her.
“I wanted to prove that we returnees could rebuild, not just our homes, but our lives.”
Her turning point came when she learned about a UNDP Iraq vocational training funded by the European Union and implemented by World Vision International.
The EU-supported initiative aimed to help returnees, especially women, gain skills, mentorship, and access to small business grants, empowering them to rebuild their lives and strengthen their communities.
At first, Nuha was hesitant. Solar energy installation was not a field women typically entered. But she decided to take the chance, joining hands with her friend and relative Khadija to pursue what would become a bold and transformative journey.
“I thought to myself, why not? Why should this field be for men only?” she says with a confident smile. “I wanted to challenge expectations, and myself.”
Through the EU-funded training, Nuha gained practical knowledge in entrepreneurship, solar installation, project management, and customer relations. She learned to plan, budget, and market her services effectively. Just as importantly, psychosocial support sessions helped her heal from years of loss and rediscover her self-belief.
“The training didn’t just teach me business, it reminded me who I am,” Nuha shares. “Each day, I felt more confident, more capable. For the first time in years, I saw a future I wanted to reach.”
Soon after completing the training, Nuha and Khadija received a small business grant through the EU–UNDP initiative and launched their own solar energy installation service, bringing clean energy to homes and farms in and around Al-Baaj. What began as an ambitious idea quickly grew into a thriving business serving hundreds of clients every month.
The impact extended far beyond income. Nuha’s success transformed how the community viewed her, and how she viewed herself. Once seen merely as a returnee, she became a role model for women’s empowerment and resilience.
“When people started calling me for advice, when they congratulated me on my success, I realized something had changed,” she says. “I was no longer a displaced woman, I was a business owner, a leader.”
Her achievements have inspired many. Nuha now attends community events and speaks at local workshops, encouraging women to pursue their ambitions.
“I tell other women: Don’t wait for permission to dream,” she says. “You are capable of anything if you believe in yourself.”
Today, Nuha’s business continues to grow. She is planning to expand to neighboring towns and hopes to establish a training center for women in renewable energy, helping others follow in her footsteps.
“This project didn’t just change my life,” she says. “It gave me back my voice, and with it, my future.”
Nuha’s journey stands as a testament to the strength of women leading Iraq’s recovery, one business, one community, one beam of light at a time.
This transformation was made possible through the generous support of the European Union, whose partnership with UNDP Iraq continues to rebuild livelihoods, restore dignity, and empower women and men in conflict-affected areas to lead their communities toward a more resilient, sustainable future.
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