Iraq
“Playing Frisbee and participating in the focused discussions has helped me to live a healthy life. I have lost so much weight because of exercising and eating healthily. Frisbee has become my favorite sport!” Alend says.
Changing Lives
Bringing hope, delight and helping build relationships and grow community amoungst the vulnerable.
Now I Have Friends
After one of our fitness classes, we sat down with the participants and invited them to share something they like about fitness, or something that has been difficult for them.
Heart Wounds
“How can the wounds of our hearts be healed?”
Identity and Worth
Many of the beneficiaries of our Shine classes have shared how they have grown in character and self-confidence as a result of the program.
God has created me perfectly!
Rosa attributes some of the changes in her life to participating in the Shine course.
Rewards from Team Effort
Eventually several relatives visited and noticed that Mustafa had greatly improved. They wanted to pass out sweets to their friends and neighbors to celebrate.
A New Smile
“The most beautiful thing is the big smile on his face.”
Women’s Fitness Class Brings Real Change
Previously Shireen* was isolated and lonely in her house and wouldn’t go out much. Through fitness she has found more purpose in life and has become confident and content in all she does.
Emotionally Better
“Together with my relative, I joined the class and I have benefited from it a lot. I feel better emotionally and everyone at home is happier with me!
Hope to Move Forward
We added to the encouragement that her loving father and supportive mother were giving her, to try to give her hope to move forward.
Improved Emotional and Physical Health
“I still struggle with my emotions. However, I have been able to lose about 10kg and I am working hard to continue to lose even more weight with your help and your effort on our behalf.”
Hope and Support Through Peer Groups
“It was my dream to be able to stand up on my own feet,” she said. “And now, my dream has come true thanks to Operation Mercy.”
Increased Quality of Life
As Hala has improved physically, so has her and her family’s emotional state. She is almost able go back to school again!
A COVID-19 Story: Food and Hygiene Kits for CBR Families
During the distribution, it was evident that many people have been out of work while some also reported being in debt primarily due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Finding Purpose, Feeling Good!
“Going to class is so wonderful… I used to cry all day and night because I felt purposeless at home. Now I can wear anything and I feel so much better.”
Men’s Fitness Meets Physical and Emotional Needs
“Playing Frisbee and participating in the focused discussions has helped me to live a healthy life. I have lost so much weight because of exercising and eating healthily.
Wheelchair Gives New Hope in Life
The wheelchair has not only contributed to Amir’s improvement physically, but emotionally and psychologically as well.
Hope Restored Through Fitness Classes
“Before coming to fitness I was hopeless but after coming here I received great hope,” Rosa said.
Total Transformation
Havine* is 18 years old and has been living in a Yazidi internally displaced peoples camp since ISIS came to her village in the Sinjar region in 2014.
Life Changing Experiences
Since we launched our Keystone project to engage with Syrian Kurds through fitness and frisbee, we have had more and more young people join the session.