My name is Khokha. I was born in Shingal, the homeland to my Ezidi people, on April 18, 2002. Growing up in a poverty and war affected country, together with my siblings we would gather around Fanos (Oil lamp) and do our homework, and lighting up that oil lamp was my parents' priority as the only source of light.

On 14 August 2007, four massive truck bombs tore through my town of Tel Ezer and Siba. The explosions killed over 800 members of my community, including my family members and relatives, marking it one of the deadliest terror attacks in history.

However, in August 2014, my region was invaded by the so-called Islamic State, who started an elaborate genocidal campaign to destroy my people. Men were killed, women and girls were abducted, and young boys were taken to be brainwashed. I survived the genocide with my life, but lost everything, including my best friends and classmates. I witnessed many tragic and painful events that remain deeply in my memory. With other survivors, I ended up in an Internally Displaced Camp in Qadia (Rwanga) in northern Iraq.

Since my early childhood, I loved drawing and had a passion for expressing myself through colors and shapes. However, the genocide against the Ezidi people became the first true motivation that pushed me to take art seriously. Art became a way for me to express my feelings, document the pain and suffering of my people, and carry a humanitarian message through my paintings.

I began my artistic journey after 2014 and gradually developed my skills until I reached advanced levels. Later, I participated in several training courses, workshops, and organizations — first as a student, then as an instructor. Among the most notable organizations I worked and collaborated with are:

• The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2020 within an educational program.
• Harikar NGO in 2020 through an art competition.
• Swedo Organization in 2022, which held a training course and art competitions.
• Sinjar Cultural Forum with a workshop titled “Eidwê Ketê” in 2025.

To this day, I have created more than 50 paintings and have around 10 years of experience in the field of art. Recently, I started learning digital art, which added a new dimension to my artistic journey.

I strongly believe that art is the voice of people, a way to preserve memory, and a means to deliver a message of peace and humanity from the heart of tragedy. I wish to get the opportunities to present my work locally and internationally to share awareness and educate people about the story of my Ezidi people through art and my own story.