Stories of hope
Her Skills, Her Livelihood, Her Future
How Mary's sewing supports her family and her community
August 07, 2026 | by McKenzie Hood
For Mary, sewing has always been more than a skill. It has been a way to provide for her family, preserve tradition, and build a future through difficult circumstances.
Mary grew up in Iraq’s Nineveh Plains. After losing her father at a young age, she learned sewing and traditional embroidery from her mother. Over the years, these skills became her primary source of income.
Today, Mary lives with her two sisters. One requires ongoing medical care for heart disease, while the other is her full-time caregiver, making Mary the household’s sole income provider.
Rebuilding After Displacement
In 2014, ISIS forced Mary and her sisters to flee Karamles. They lived in caravans in Erbil and relied on church support, while Mary took on small jobs, including cleaning churches, to support her family.
When they returned home in 2017, they found their house burned and had to rebuild their lives from the ground up.
As Karamles began to recover, Mary saw an opportunity to turn her lifelong skills into a sustainable livelihood. She established a sewing atelier, specializing in tailoring, clothing repair, and traditional embroidery.
With support from Shai Fund’s livelihood project, Mary was able to equip and formalize her atelier, expand her services, and reach more customers. The business opened in March 2026 and generated approximately $1,150 in its first month, exceeding initial projections.
Building More Than a Business
Mary hopes her atelier will eventually create opportunities for women and girls to learn sewing and traditional embroidery, helping preserve an important part of the community’s cultural heritage.
Her story is part of a broader effort to strengthen Christian communities across the Nineveh Plains. Since September 2025, Shai Fund’s livelihood project has supported six Christian families, representing 24 individuals, through the establishment of small businesses. These businesses have already indirectly benefited an estimated 3,333 people through increased access to local goods and services.
“Through all the hardships we faced, I never stopped working with my hands,” Mary said. “Sewing has always been my way to support my family.”
For families who have endured conflict, displacement, and economic instability, a sustainable livelihood can provide more than income. It can restore dignity, strengthen self-reliance, and make it possible to remain rooted in their communities.
For Mary, each stitch is part of rebuilding a future for her family and her community.
