The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF) has signed an agreement with Nadia’s Initiative, founded by Nadia Murad, co-recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, to support the Initiative’s global advocacy efforts to rebuild Sinjar and enable the safe return of internally displaced Yazidis back to their homes. 

The UAE-based global humanitarian charity has pledged a $216,000 financial grant to grow the Sinjar Action Fund (SAF), which was established by Nadia’s Initiative to advance advocacy and reconstruction efforts in the region. The funds will be mobilised by SAF until October 2019.

The agreement was recently signed by Mariam Al Hammadi, TBHF Director, and Nadia Murad.

Yazidis continue to suffer from Daesh’s genocidal campaign. With over 3,000 Yazidi women still in captivity, 300,000 living in internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camps, and the Yazidi homeland of Sinjar uninhabitable, the Yazidi community remains on the verge of collapse.

Through its financial support, TBHF seeks to positively influence some of the project outcomes like demining the region; rebuilding basic infrastructure including schools, hospitals, and homes; reopening direct access roads from IDP camps to Sinjar; assisting IDPs in resettling and securing their livelihoods, among other outcomes. 

Mariam Al Hammadi, Director of TBHF said: “Yazidis living in IDP camps want to return home, but the lack of safety and necessary infrastructure remain the biggest obstacles. Through our financial support to Nadia’s Initiative, which we consider a humanitarian duty, TBHF aims to not only help reconstruction efforts being undertaken by SAF, but to also support Nadia’s efforts in garnering global support to stop Daesh’s genocidal campaign against the innocent Yazidis.

 “Our great leaders in the UAE and Sharjah have always been at the forefront of humanitarian efforts worldwide. Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness, Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of TBHF, is a leading advocate of human rights and continues to stress that it is incumbent upon the global community to join efforts to stop minorities like the Yazidis from being subject to unjust persecution,” she added.

Through Nadia’s Initiative, Murad has been using her global recognition to not only secure funding for SAF, but has been actively challenging world leaders to push past status quo and assume a responsibility to act – to make “never again” a reality. 

The third edition of the Investing in the Future Conference (IIFMENA), which took place on 24-25 October, hosted Nadia Murad as a keynote speaker. During the discussions, Murad shed light on the how the youth in the MENA region can overcome the challenges they face surrounded by war and conflict, sharing her own personal journey as she was held captive by Daesh for three months.

The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF) is a humanitarian charity that was established in 2015 after a range of humanitarian initiatives and campaigns launched by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi. TBHF aims to provide protection for children in need and their families. Although the foundation concentrates its efforts in the Arab world, it provides support to affected areas worldwide.

A recent report said the Big Heart Foundation (TBHF) provided total support worth Dhs58 million, to help over 1,091,000 people across 12 conflict-affected countries, in the year 2018.

The funds focused on supporting vital sectors including education, healthcare, and food security, thereby rehabilitating underprivileged people who have lost basic amenities of life, due to conflicts, social ills, and/or natural disasters, in their respective countries.

Announcing details of the contributions by the Foundation, Mariam Al Hammadi said: “Following the directives of H.H. Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairperson of TBHF, our efforts are strategically dedicated to address growing humanitarian concerns around the world, based on two key principles. First, immediate assistance to respond to the most pressing needs of affected populations. Second, bolstering vital sectors like education, healthcare, infrastructure, and community-building, which uplift underprivileged groups by making the tools they need to build their futures available to them.”