Our impact

525 women have benefitted

The Helping Herbs project started in March 2023 and our clinical herbalist Anna Rósa has already visited Iraq twice for hands-on training. Eman our local Kurdish staff member teaches the workshops throughout the year and 525 women have benefitted in 2023. According to a survey, on a 1-10 scale, satisfaction with the workshops stands at 8.2. Moreover, an overwhelming majority of women want to learn more about medicinal herbs.

We have handed out 540 products

We have handed out 540 products in our workshops in the refugee camps. Products are chosen by the women based on their needs – for example, remedies for pain, burns, and health and hygiene. Additionally, we have supplied many cups of herbal teas and tea recipes for various ailments. Many women have already told us how useful they find these products.

Some want to set up businesses

This project aims to ensure that some of the women will establish herbal businesses so they can earn much-needed income. We already have five women in three camps showing interest in producing herbal products. We will provide them with business training and guidance in good manufacturing practices.

Some are eager to learn more

We provide hands-on education as well as mentorship from a well-known herbal school. It gives free access to any women in the refugee camps who want to learn more. Already five women in the camps are registered and learning more about herbal medicine.

Terrific course!

Bahar Mirza lives in the Esyan refugee camp in Kurdistan. She is 47 years old. She grew up in Sinjar district in Iraq but the ISIS invasion in 2014 forced her to flee along with her family. She spends her days taking care of household work and tending a number of sheep she owns. This is what Bahar has to say about the ointment course of Anna Rósa: „To me it was absolutely terrific. Something I had never experienced before. On top of that I could keep the ointment we made. I love this ointment.“

Women attending the workshops

In the words of the Icelandic poet Tómas Guðmundsson the hearts of people are much the same anywhere in the world. To Anna Rósa, our clinical herbalist, there isn´t much difference in teaching women to make ointments, in Iceland as well as in the refugee camps in Kurdistan. The enthusiasm and joy are the same.

The Lotus Flower

If it wasn´t for the cooperation with the Lotus Flower we would be completely sidelined. Their super helpful staff made this project possible. A lot of people have given us their help and assistance and here you can see some of them.

The women in the market

These women sell us some of the herbs used in the workshops. Therefore the project not only empowers women in refugee camps but also these local women.