Healing the
Wounds of War

Zainab Salbi’s Women for Women International offers hope to war survivors around the world

By Ev E kusHnEr

WHEn POliCymakErs anD PunDi Ts discuss war, they focus on armies, weapons, planes, and tanks. So says Zainab Salbi, 38, who founded Washington, D.C.-based Women for Women international to help women rebuild their lives after wars. An Iraqi national who still feels traumatized by the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, Salbi marvels that discourse about war rarely takes into account the way it rips apart civilians’ daily lives.

WOMEN AT WORK: Founder and CeO Zainab Salbi (above) examines a handwoven basket in rwanda. Handcrafted goods sold by Women for Women—such as embroidered garments from Kosovo (near right) or jewelry made in Afghanistan (far right)—help survivors become self-sufficient.

She notes that the nature of war has changed in modern times: “Before, it used to be an army fighting an army.” Now, she says, 90 percent of war casualties are civilians—largely women and children. Nevertheless, she says, we rarely hear of women’s wartime traumas, and the isolation and silence inflict further suffering.

finally talk about what they’ve seen: the destruction of their property and livelihoods, widespread slaughter (particularly of loved ones), and the rapes that the vast majority have experienced. A critical part of the recovery process is pairing female war survivors with sponsors who contribute a small amount of money each month and correspond via letters. (Read a sample letter.) The bonds fostered—akin to sisterhood— promote emotional healing. In 1992, after reading about rape and genocide in the former Yugoslavia, Salbi became determined to do for products, the organization something. Newly married, has assisted more than 120,000 she used money earmarked for women. But lending emotional her honeymoon and traveled support is an even more to Croatia twice to provide aid. important goal.

Women for Women brings their stories out of the shadows. Working in nine countries— Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Sudan—Salbi’s organization establishes support groups for women war survivors. The groups provide a forum in which they can

In 1993, she established Women Salbi’s nonprofit is committed for Women, quitting her job as to helping these survivors for an Arabic translator to work decades to come. As she points

(without pay) for her nonprofit. out, “War doesn’t stop with the

President Clinton writes about signing of a peace agreement.” 0 the organization in his book Giving, and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation recently gave Women for Women $1.5 million.

By distributing nearly $40 million and providing vocational training and market access

Organic Style is a proud supporter of the Women for Women income-generating projects. See some of their goods that we offer in our boutique. Become a member of the organization.