EVÎN ZENDA

Shengal (Sinjar)- Since the genocide committed against the Yazidis on August 4, 2014, the Yazidi community has witnessed many changes. The women of Shengal adopting the idea of a free and equal life after the edict (genocide) have been taking part in all spheres of life to realize this idea. Erzan Hecî and Nesîma Hecî are just two of these women. They started their own tailor shop three years ago to make a living.

Nesima Hecî spoke to NuJINHA about their story. Before the genocide, she lived in the Borik region of Mount Shengal while her friend Erzan Hecî lived in the village of Til Qeseb in the Mount Shengal. “Three years after the genocide, we returned to Shengal from the camps in the Kurdistan Region and began to learn how to sew,” she told us.

They started to work together three years ago

Stating that she started her own tailor shop after taking tailoring courses, Nesima Hecî said, “My shop was very small while Erzan had a very big one. We decided to work together in her shop. We have worked together for three years.”

“We earn a living by sewing clothes”

Speaking about their friendship and business, Nesima Hecî said, “Erzan is my friend. Actually, we are like two sisters. We help each other and do everything together. We sew clothes according to the request of all our customers. We mostly sew traditional clothes and dresses. When people see how we work together after entering our shop to buy clothes, they want to work with us. We are happy to be role models for people around us.”

“Women must work to stand on their own legs”

Underlining that women face many challenges in society, Nesima Hecî said, “If women don’t face any challenges, they can be successful in every sphere of life. Now Erzan and I meet all needs of our families without depending on someone for a living. I call on all women to participate in the labor force. Women must work to stand on their own legs without depending on someone else.”

“We have overcome the impact of the genocide by working”

Emphasizing the importance of working, Erzan Hecî said, “Before being tailors, our lives were very bad. We suffered from the impact of the genocide and could not do anything. But after starting working together, we have overcome many problems. Yazidi women must build a life outside their home in order to overcome the impact of the genocide.”