“It has been an incredible feeling to see myself achieve my goals of improving my drawing and design skills,” said Evileen. “To be motivated by this group of women has impacted my confidence, optimism, and love for my work. This is the secret to success: I've found people who have supported my uniqueness.”

“The night before we left the city, I drew a painting and left it at home. It was a ship and it was a symbol for my city, and it was in the middle of a sea with winds blowing through it,” Evileen said, describing her departure from Qaraqosh in 2014 when ISIS militants swept through the city. 

ISIS would spend the next two years destroying all signs of Christianity in the city, burning and destroying churches, statues, and reminders of the once thriving Christian community. Qaraqosh was liberated by the Iraqi army in 2016, but displaced people returned slowly, concerned about the continued fighting nearby.  

In October 2017, after three and a half years of living in displacement, Evileen, now 30 years old, returned to her home in Qaraqosh. Her family was among the first to arrive. 

Evileen was shocked by the damage that her city endured. “When I returned to Qaraqosh, I did not find the painting,” said Evileen. She wanted to make a positive impact and help in repairing what had been destroyed by the war. 

While displaced in Erbil, Evileen had volunteered at the church library and was often sought by members of the church for her diligence and talent working with children and inspiring a love for books and reading. She had to put her passion for drawing on hold so that she could support her family during displacement. 

“I drew very little during the period of displacement. Most of my drawings were about the city where I was born and raised, the places that I would have liked to return to, such as the church I used to go to and our house that we used to live in,” related Evileen. 

After returning to Qaraqosh, she found a management position at the St. Ephrem Kindergarten where she seized the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children affected by war and displacement. 

Evileen had been working for a few months at St. Ephrem Kindergarten when she started noticing the effect of trauma on her students’ learning abilities and behavior. Frustrated by the challenging situation, she tried conventional approaches to help her students, but all her efforts were in vain. One day, Evileen tried to use drawing as a method to teach the class and was surprised by the children’s  positive response.

Evileen continued to draw both with the children and at home for several years, convinced that her artistic passion would not flourish further. Yet unexpectedly in October of 2019, her luck changed when she saw a post on social media for “Maharati”, USAID’s Life & Digital Skills course on graphic design, photography and digital marketing for women – she immediately knew that this was a door she had to walk through. “I applied to the Maharati course. It was the opportunity I have been waiting for and I have wished for - for a long time,” said Evileen. 

The 15-week Maharati course was a component of a livelihoods pilot, tailored to meet the needs of women trying to rebuild their lives. The course was an integrated technology training on digital marketing, graphic design and photography with alternating “Women Speak Out” dialogue sessions and case management services for women, including survivors of gender-based violence. 

Evileen joined the class and found 26 other women who were also pursuing their dreams of becoming Qaraqosh’s next generation of graphic designers and photographers. After so many years believing she was alone in her passion, she discovered a new community of peers in this field. “Our stories and thoughts inspired all of us to design and communicate our mission and views in an understandable and simple way,” Evileen said. 

After the design training offered by the “Maharati” course, Evileen was inspired to use the skills she learned to help her community. Today, Evileen designs coloring books for children who have been affected the trauma of war and displacement. “I have a passion for designing children’s books and drawing cartoon characters. I find it one of the most successful ways to positively influence children,” said Evileen.

The program also included life and jobs skills training, and the case management services supported women in their daily lives to help them integrate important life skills, such as decision making and negotiation. This sense of understanding and social connectedness created a safe space where Evileen’s peers pushed her to think bigger and more confidently about her future. She began to draw more frequently and contributed her skills to group projects. “It has been an incredible feeling to see myself achieve my goals of improving my drawing and design skills,” said Evileen. “To be motivated by this group of women has impacted my confidence, optimism, and love for my work. This is the secret to success: I've found people who have supported my uniqueness.”

More than six years after being forced to leave her home, Evileen feels hopeful again. She graduated from the Life & Digital Skills Course in July 2020. Using her new skills, she carried her message of hope to children by illustrating children’s coloring books, organizing art shows for students and designing social media campaigns for clients. “I started to look ahead, and I can see a future again. My goal is to become a professional in graphic design,” said Evileen.