Tuesday, June 3, 2025
“I chose peace over comfort.” – Hayat’s Story
Hayat*, a 34-year-old mother of six from Mosul, was forced into marriage at 16 through an exchange arrangement that cut short her education and childhood. Transitioning from city life to a village, she endured a difficult marriage, family pressure, and poverty. After a suicide attempt, she resolved to change her life and built a mud house with her husband. Despite harsh conditions, she found peace.
Support from World Vision and caseworker Eileen provided both emotional and financial relief — allowing her to install plumbing and buy essentials like a water heater and oven. Through resilience and determination, Hayat began to rebuild her life and dignity. She sewed clothes during the 2014 conflict to support her children, who survived on minimal food.
Hayat regrets her early marriage and is determined to give her daughter a better future. “If a woman isn’t strong, she can’t survive,” she says. Her dream is to one day build a real home — and a life of lasting peac
