Saad was a teenager when his younger brother was kidnapped by militias in southeastern Iraq. The young boy was held for two weeks in prison and tortured. The militia sent pictures of his abuse to Saad’s family with a message warning them to leave Iraq. When his little brother was returned to them, Saad and his family fled to Jordan.

Saad was a teenager when his younger brother was kidnapped by militias in southeastern Iraq.”

Because the family had already been displaced when they’d still been within Iraq, moving from their village to Tikrit and then traveling to Jordan, Saad was forced to stop his studies before completing high school. He struggled through school in Jordan because of finances and a difficult environment at home.

Saad came to CVT to begin his rehabilitative journey after surviving these atrocities. As part of his healing, Saad wanted to stand up and tell his story in hopes of making change.

When he spoke to CVT, Saad said that he was living on hope and wanted to study to become a pilot. He did not have resources or a permanent home, but Saad said hope was his guide every day.  “There are ambitions and goals inside of me, but the paths and doors are closed. The eye can see it but the hand is short,” he said.

*Name and some details have been changed for safety and to protect confidentiality.
Photo credit: Dreamstime.

Funding for CVT’s work in Jordan is provided by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration and the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture.