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Firouzeh, 20
Firouzeh has never known her parents. She grew up moving from one home operated by the social services authorities to another. When Firouzeh first came to Omid, she was permanently depressed and saw little point in continuing with her hard, loveless, and lonely life. Today, she is a very different young woman, a vibrant, sociable person who is successfully sharing a flat with a friend. She has recently completed her accountancy training, has been accepted to university, and is working part time as an accountant while continuing her studies. Firouzeh is determined to emigrate to Canada when she completes her studies.
'Omid is the mother and father I never had. It is my blood relation.'
Firouzeh
Mandana, 21
Mandana was sexually and physically abused by her heroin-addicted brothers from an early age. By entering into temporary marriage contracts, she thought that having such legally sanctioned partners would protect her against the abuse of her brothers. After several such temporary marriages, she discovered that this was no answer to her problems. Since the completion of her training at Omid, Mandana has been working as a secretary in a publishing house.
'Omid is my light at the end of a very dark tunnel.'
Mandana
Nina, 20
Nina became mother to her six siblings at the age of 13, when her parents divorced and her mother left. A life she had not been prepared for. Nina has now completed the Omid program and works as a part time secretary while pursuing an intensive English language course. Her next step will be to enrol at a Montessori teacher training program in London, where she will be supervised and funded by Omid.
Rapping has become the medium of choice for Nina to express her thoughts, her anger about her past and her outlook on life. We are taking Nina to Canada this Summer, where she will be the main performer at a rap concert in Toronto as part of our 'Breaking the Mould - Young Iranian Women in Transition' program'.
'For me, Omid is all about finding your voice and your sense of self.'
Nina
Neda, 20
Neda arrived in Iran from Afghanistan when she was eight years old. Education has always been her passion and she remembers looking enviously at young Iranian girls going to school each morning, and praying that one day she too would be allowed to go to school (because of their illegal immigration status, Afghani children are not allowed to enroll in schools in Iran). When Neda came to Omid three years ago she had no self-confidence and believed she was useless. She also believed that, as an Afghani girl, she would never make anything of herself in Iran. The first year at Omid, she therefore received additional individual tuition. The next two years, she worked hard and trained as a graphic designer. Today, she works full time at a graphic design studio, where she is regarded as one of the most hardworking and able employees.
'When I look back, I can only believe that God heard my prayers and sent me an angel. The angel is Omid. I would have still been looking on enviously at others, had it not been for Omid.'
Neda
Leila, 22
Leila was sold into prostitution by her parents when she was nine years old. When she was 18, she was convicted of prostitution and condemned to death by hanging, but was saved by the intervention of prominent human rights lawyer Shadi Sadr. Leila was released from prison into the care of Omid, where she arrived illiterate and needing to be taught the basics of life. She has since learned to read, has trained, and is working, as a seamstress, and is gradually learning to adjust to the society around her.
Leila is just one example of the power of Omid's approach. Participation in Omid's holistic program enabled Leila to find her voice, giving her both the ability and the strength to tell her story of rape and imprisonment to the world in the form of a 30-minute radio program that was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in late 2007 as part of its 'Crossing Continents' series.
'At Omid, I am loved and respected despite everything.'
Leila
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