Remembering the Yezidi Genocide

On August 3, 2014, a genocide unfolded before our eyes. I knew then I had to act—and I did. Eleven years later, the scars remain, but so does the fight for justice, dignity, and religious freedom. 

The Day the World Changed 

I remember that day vividly. I was watching the television as ISIS swept across Iraq and Syria, systematically ethnically cleansing Yezidis and Christians. The images showed Sinjar Mountain, where tens of thousands of Yezidis had fled to escape. Trapped with no food or water, they were starving, dehydrated, and dying. 

I decided right then and there: I would go to Iraq. 

On the Ground in Erbil 

Just a few weeks later, I landed in Erbil, in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. Survivors were arriving, traumatized and broken. I began working alongside local partners, helping families find safety, dignity, and hope. I listened to stories from women and children who had escaped captivity—many of them sold multiple times, subjected to unthinkable abuse. 

To this day, over 2,500 Yezidi women and girls remain missing. Eleven years later, their fate is still a dark stain on our collective conscience. 

From Rescue to Recovery 

In the early days, I partnered with brave Yezidis like Mirza Dinnayi who were risking everything to recover their abducted loved ones. Together, we served in refugee camps across Dohuk and Nineveh, doing what we could with limited resources. 

Later, Mirza would go on to receive the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, and Shai Fund became one of the winning grantees. It was a moment of recognition—but more importantly, it was a testament to the resilience of the Yezidi people and the power of action in the face of evil. 

A Question of Conscience 

As we mark eleven years since the Yezidi genocide began, it’s not enough to remember. We must act. We must stand. We must speak up until no woman, no child, and no community suffers for their faith, their identity, or their existence. 

Shai Fund responded then and continues to walk with the Yezidi community today by: 

• Providing clean water to 60 families or 248 people.
• Delivering food and essential supplies to 41 families.
• Establishing a local healthcare clinic to treat those in urgent need.

Never again cannot be a slogan. It must be a commitment. Let this be the year we recommit.