From Anfal Survivor to Advocate: Jihan Brifki's Mission to Serve Kurdistan from the U.S.
Jihan Brifki, a survivor of the Anfal genocide, turned her journey from refugee child to U.S.-based leader into a life of service. Through nonprofits aiding thousands in Kurdistan and environmental projects, she bridges continents with unwavering advocacy for her homeland.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The life of Jihan Brifki, which began with a harrowing escape from the Anfal genocide as a five-year-old, has blossomed into a testament to resilience and a profound dedication to serving the Kurdish cause from her adopted home in the United States. Her journey from a refugee child walking for days to seek safety to a dynamic community leader running multiple nonprofit organizations embodies a lifelong vow to advocate for Kurdistan, bridging two worlds through tireless humanitarian and environmental work.
Born in Kurdistan, Iraq, in 1983, Brifki’s childhood was violently upended by the 1988 Anfal campaign, a genocidal operation that resulted in the deaths of 50,000 Kurds and the displacement of 182,000 more. While her family survived, their escape was an ordeal of immense hardship.
According to information provided to Kurdistan24, the five-year-old Jihan walked alongside her family for four nights and five days to reach the Turkish border, only to be denied entry. It was only after the intervention of the United Nations that they were granted passage, a critical moment that Brifki acknowledges might have saved her life. The family spent nearly four years in Turkish refugee camps before finally arriving in the United States in 1992.
Arriving in America as a nine-year-old filled with Kurdish pride, Brifki settled with her family in the welcoming communities of Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota. It was here that she received her education and developed a deep and abiding love for both her new country and her ancestral homeland.
The opportunities she was given in the U.S. did not diminish her connection to Kurdistan; instead, they fueled a commitment to advocacy that began at a young age, driven by the knowledge that her voice could make a difference for the homeland she was forced to flee. This early resolve solidified into a vow to advocate for Kurdish independence.
Bridging Continents Through Service
Today, Jihan Brifki channels her dedication into a series of impactful projects through the nonprofits she has founded. She currently runs Project of Giving, an organization that raises funds to support impoverished Kurds with critical needs such as medical costs, rent, and food.
The project has had a tangible and significant impact, having assisted over 3,000 people and successfully purchased more than ten houses for homeless families, all made possible through the generous donations of the global Kurdish diaspora.
Her work also extends to environmental stewardship through the Hanasa Plus Organization for Environmental Protection, for which she serves as executive director. With offices in both Moorhead and Kurdistan, the organization confronts the urgent issue of climate change, aiming to preserve Kurdistan’s natural beauty amid the region’s ongoing conflicts. The mission is multifaceted, with the empowerment of women and the protection of the environment standing as its central pillars.
A significant upcoming initiative under this banner is the Earth Partnership, a program that will bring four professors from Kurdistan to Moorhead for an intensive eight-day environmental training program, exemplifying her strategy of transferring knowledge and best practices back to her homeland.
When asked why her focus remains so intently on Kurdistan, Brifki's answer is simple: her homeland, long deprived of independence, needs unwavering support. She draws inspiration from the positive examples she has witnessed in the U.S. and is determined to implement similar beneficial projects in Kurdistan.
A Life of Community and Advocacy
Beyond her leadership in the nonprofit sector, Brifki maintains a dynamic professional and civic life. She serves as an independent English/Kurdish interpreter for the U.S. government and other organizations, leveraging her linguistic skills to bridge communication gaps.
Her commitment to her local community is equally robust; she is an active board member of the Presbyterian Church, a member of the Fargo Gateway Lions Club, and a partner of Moorhead State University, among other roles.
Her local initiatives include the Hanasa Plus Gardening Project, which provides families with gardens to grow their own fresh food, and the Youth Ecology Stewardship Summer Program, which teaches students about gardening and native plants. She continues to actively seek grants to fund an expanding portfolio of projects in both Minnesota and Kurdistan.
Jihan Brifki’s life and work are guided by the poignant words of the iconic Kurdish leader Mullah Mustafa Barzani: "If you can’t serve your country, at least don’t betray it."
Her career is a living embodiment of this principle, shaped by passion, ambition, and a deep-seated dedication to making a positive impact. In a recent move that brings her advocacy full circle, she initiated a call to action for increased international support and security for Kurdistan, renewing her lifelong vow by publicly advocating for its recognition as an independent state.
Edited by Dr. Kamaran Aziz
