Voices

When a woman joins Prosperity Candle, we ask her to share why she has chosen an entrepreneurial path and what she hopes to change in her life. Below are the stories of these women, each a poignant reminder of why we have embarked on this journey.

Only those who choose to appear here are listed, and photos are included only if  a woman has given explicit permission to do so. As much as possible, we have sought to retain their voices in translation.

If you would like to comment on the stories below, or share your story, please send us a message at Contact Us.

A brief and inspiring video from Wafa…

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videos from the women and field staff.

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Prosperity Candle Entrepreneurs

	Huda I am a widow with two young children. I lost my husband in the violence of Baghdad, and now live with his family. I joined Women for Women International in January of 2009, and am eager to be a businesswoman in order to be self-sufficient and fulfill my dream of creating a new life for my little girls. [Entrepreneur 155313]
	Sanaa I am married with three daughters. My husband is disabled, and I want to teach him how to make candles and open a small shop for selling them. [Entrepreneur 139301]
	Lama’a I am married with three children, and am working as a provider of some kinds of food in the marketplace. I am an ambitious and creative woman who wants to start a small candle workshop and be a businesswoman. [Entrepreneur 155985]
	Kawkab I am widowed with two daughters. I live with my brother and his family. I hope to have the opportunity to earn an income and to work at the workshop of my close friend, Wafa’a, who is one of the Prosperity Candle field-testers. I hope to fill Baghdad’s markets with prosperity candles. [Entrepreneur 139402]
	Wafa I am widowed with four sons. My husband was killed by a mortar which dropped onto his grocery store and also hurt our son. But I am a strong woman and very optimistic. I have a lot of dreams. One day I hope to create a small candle-making factory. I will employ all my friends in the community. I hope that my candles will reach the whole world, that they will reach president Obama so that he will know that it is us Iraqi women who are sending him prosperity candles. I hope to put an end to these dark days in my life so that they will be bright and shining. Wafa was one of the first women to field-test our candle-making kits, and has since joined Prosperity Candle as both an entrepreneur and a trainer of other women. [Entrepreneur 139383]
	Azhar I am single, live with my parents and make food that I then sell in the market. I hope to have a small workshop that makes candles just as I have one for making food. I am very creative and ambitious and am always seeking ways to improve myself. [Entrepreneur 142276]