named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Combating GBV Office
Specialized office dedicated to preventing and responding to gender-based violence within displaced Yezidi communities.
Enterprise & Training Center
Offers vocational training and economic empowerment programs, including baking and sewing, to help Yezidi women gain employment and independence.
Justice Project
Advocates for legal accountability and justice for survivors of gender-based violence and human rights abuses committed during the ISIS genocide.
Trauma Counseling Program
Provides mental health support and trauma counseling to survivors, including training for local counselors in partnership with Network for Africa.
Women’s and Children’s Centers
Provides safe spaces and support services for Yezidi women and children affected by the genocide, including psychosocial support and education.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Human Rights Advocacy & Accountability 3 activities
- Advocacy to sustain global attention on the Yezidi genocide and community needsLeads advocacy efforts to maintain international focus on the Yezidi genocide and the ongoing recovery and protection needs of the community, preventing the community from being forgotten through global engagement and policy dialogue.
- Legal and investigative support for justice processes related to the Yezidi genocideConducts survivor-centered legal and investigative work using an all-female team to compile crime scene analyses, suspect dossiers, and evidence in collaboration with UN mechanisms and international war crimes units to support prosecution of perpetrators of the Yezidi genocide.
- Policy advocacy and legal reform for minority and women's rightsEngages in policy and advocacy efforts with national governments and international bodies, including contributing to legal reforms in Armenia that ended early and forced marriages and enhanced protections for girls, and advocating for religious freedom and minority rights.
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Nonprofit-Operated Cafés and Social Enterprises 1 activity
- Bakery and cafe enterprise managed by displaced Yezidi womenOperates the Sugar is Sweet Bakery and Cafe in Khanke, Duhok, managed by displaced Yezidi women who are trained in baking, business, and finance through FYF’s Bakery Training Center, promoting livelihoods and economic resilience.
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Text Messaging Communication Services 1 activity
- Community feedback and complaints response mechanismReviews community complaints and feedback bi-weekly, records them in an online tracker, and addresses issues within 24 hours to two weeks based on urgency to ensure accountability and responsiveness.
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Women's Empowerment and Leadership Development 1 activity
- Education access and literacy programs for Yezidi and minority women and youthProvides basic English, Arabic, IT, professional development, and digital literacy courses to Yezidi and minority women; delivers comprehensive education programs for students in Sheikhan; and facilitates access to higher education through partnerships with international organizations to improve literacy and educational outcomes.
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Human Rights & Peace Education Curriculum 1 activity
- Human rights education and civic participation capacity buildingDevelops and coordinates human rights education and capacity-building programs to support civic participation and protect the rights of marginalized women, including non-binding strategic advice and backstopping support to senior management and board members of FYF Netherlands and FYF United States.
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Direct Mental Health Counseling and Support Services 1 activity
- Mental health and psychosocial support for Yezidi and minority women survivorsProvides survivor-centered mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) to Yezidi and minority women survivors of genocide and sexual violence in Iraq through a women-led team of 16 professionals, including individual and group therapy, case management, and recreational psychosocial activities.
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Gender Equity Research and Advocacy 1 activity
- Research on minority inclusion, gender justice, and educationConducts and publishes research on democracy indices, child labor impacts on education, minority inclusion, and gender justice, including reports such as Promoting Yezidi Girls and Women’s Civic Participation (2024) and Advancing Diversity and Inclusion: Challenges and Progress in Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine (2023–2024).
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Women's Microenterprise and Livelihood Development 1 activity
- Skills training and economic empowerment for Yezidi womenOperates the Enterprise and Training Center in Khanke, Duhok, providing skills training, job placement, and income generation opportunities for Yezidi women through crafting and marketing handmade products such as the Chonky Animals® line, and supports economic integration into the formal labor market through restorative and empowering models.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.48M
Contributions & grants$1.29M87%
Program service revenue$146K10%
Investment income$4K0%
Other revenue$38K
expenses
Total expenses$1.22M
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$186K
Grants paid out$101K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$544K
Cash$79K
Investments$239K
Liabilities$79K
Net assets$465K
Liquid reserves3.1 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +43.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PARI IBRAHIM | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $97K |
board members · 9
- ALEX LOURIE — SECRETARY
- ART AARONSON — TREASURER
- DAVID SKLAR — DIRECTOR
- ESTHER PORTYANSKY — DIRECTOR
- GAY ROSENBLUM-KUMAR — DIRECTOR
- NAOMI KIKOLER — DIRECTOR
- NIBRAS BASITKEY — DIRECTOR
- NIENKE GROSSMAN — CO-CHAIR
- REBECCA TINSLEY — CO-CHAIR
relationships · 22
Who they work with
- American University of Iraq–Sulaimani Partner — Advisory council member is an alumnus and founded civic education initiatives linked to the institution.
- Armenian Parliament Partner — Collaborated with the Armenian Parliament on policy and advocacy efforts to end early and forced marriages.
- Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands Government — Registered legal entity with the Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands.
- Fair Handeln Messe Partner — Partners to highlight Yezidi women's voices in international civil society forums.
- Government of Iraq (GOI) Government — Advocates for the GOI to honor its responsibility to protect minority citizens and support equitable resource allocation for Sinjar reconstruction
- IIIM Partner — Collaborates with FYF on compiling crime scene analyses and suspect dossiers for prosecuting ISIS crimes against Yezidis.
- International Criminal Court Government — Has advisory council member serving as Liaison Magistrate with the International Criminal Court.
- Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Government — Advocates for the KRG to honor its responsibility to protect minority citizens and ensure their safety and dignity
- Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals Government — Has advisory council member serving as Liaison Magistrate with the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT).
- Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) department Partner — Manages the complaints and feedback mechanism and ensures accountability to affected populations.
- National Endowment for Democracy Partner — Engages with fellows from the National Endowment for Democracy through advisory council membership.
- Network for Africa Partner — Rebecca Tinsley's organization trained a brigade of women in counseling skills through a visit to the Free Yezidi Foundation in Kurdistan in 2018.
- Refugee Services of Texas Partner — Collaborates with leadership experienced in refugee and immigrant services through advisory council member's prior role.
- Stichting Free Yezidi Partner — Sister organization registered in the Netherlands operating alongside the Free Yezidi Foundation USA in Iraq.
- Sugar is Sweet Bakery and Cafe Partner — FYF-operated bakery and cafe run by Yezidi women trained through its programs, serving as a practical outlet for economic empowerment.
- The Windsor Dialogue Partner — Collaborates to advance religious freedom advocacy.
- UN Mechanisms (IIIM and UNITAD) Partner — Collaborates with IIIM and UNITAD to compile crime scene analyses and suspect dossiers for accountability efforts related to the Yezidi genocide.
- UNITAD Partner — Collaborates with FYF on compiling crime scene analyses and suspect dossiers for prosecuting ISIS crimes against Yezidis.
- University of Amsterdam Partner — Advisory council member serves on the Master of Forensic Science Advisory Board.
- established international partners Partner — Collaborates with international partners to improve access to education and facilitate pathways to higher education for Yezidi children and minority women.
- established international partners Partner — Collaborates with international partners to improve access to education for Yezidi children, youth, and minority women.
- international partner Partner — Collaborates with an established international partner to facilitate access to higher education courses for Yezidi and minority women.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Advocacy-Integrated Humanitarian Responsemethodology: advocacy_plus_direct_supportBy pairing direct support for survivors with evidence-based advocacy and human rights education, the organization amplifies visibility, influences policy, and advances systemic change, because combining service delivery with public voice addresses both immediate needs and root causes of marginalization.
- Gender-Informed Recovery and Empowermentmethodology: gender-informed_recoveryBy integrating gender equity and women’s rights as foundational to community recovery, the organization advances both individual and collective resilience among Yezidi women and girls, because addressing structural gender inequality is essential to healing from genocide and building sustainable peace.
- Integrated Economic and Livelihood Empowermentmethodology: supportive_and_restorative_economic_modelsBy combining business incubation, market access, and skills training with psychosocial and educational support, the organization fosters economic independence and social integration for Yezidi women, because restorative economic models strengthen agency and long-term resilience in post-conflict settings.
- Survivor-Centered Care Modelmethodology: survivor-centered_careBy delivering mental health, psychosocial, and legal support through an all-female, women-led team using a do-no-harm approach, the organization increases trust, safety, and engagement among female survivors of sexual violence and genocide, because gender-congruent care reduces re-traumatization and strengthens service effectiveness.