-
Micro-biology Lab Ensures Safety of Iraqi Water and Food
Meet the Scientist
Erbil - When Azhin A. Hamadameen’s first child was diagnosed with autism, she became determined to understand how environmental factors affect health. As a seasoned food engineer, she knew all too well the importance of clean and chemical-free food and water.
“One of the reasons I started my own lab was because of my son. I learned that heavy metals in our food and water can contribute to autism, and I realized it’s very important to know that our food and water are clean from these materials to protect new generations.”
Azhin’s microbiology lab, named Winsome, supports businesses in Iraq’s food and water industries to ensure their products are safe for human consumption. The lab also tests electrical and manufacturing equipment.
Microbiologists and chemists at Winsome’s laboratory conduct testing on bottled water samples to ensure its safety. IOM Iraq 2024/ Angela Wells
Azhin started her career working as a lab technician and, over some time, manager for another company. She realized that much of the food safety management work in Iraq was being outsourced to foreign countries and there was a gap in safety management services for communities and companies in the market.
To address this gap, she opened Winsome in 2019 to offer high-quality safety management services to Iraqi companies domestically.
“I had this idea for some time, and I wanted to make it real. I knew I could do more,” she recalled, “But it was a big risk, and I had many fears.”
Launching her business in a male-dominated industry did not come easily.
“My scope is business to business, so I have to deal directly with company managers and owners to convince them to accept a service that is new to the Iraqi market,” she said.
It took Azhin a year to gain trust among companies and find more clients. She managed to smooth out her work with the support of her family.
“My husband has always stood beside me and financially invested in my business, and my mother holds me as an example for my siblings.”
Azhin also had to learn to work-life balance caring for her autistic child and running her company. She built a strong team of new employees who could take on a lot of work and run the business.
In 2023, Azhin was able to scale her business to greater heights when she received a grant from the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s Enterprise Development Fund (EDF).
She was able to add more sophisticated equipment for her analysis lab, such as an incubator; an autoclave for sterilization; and an addition to the chemical lab that analyzes components of water. The equipment Winsome procured primarily came from abroad and has allowed Azhin to create one of the first food analysis labs in Iraq aligned with international standards.
The Winsome team also received training on marketing, management and financing, and Azhin received continual guidance from a mentor. Since receiving the grant, she hired four more employees to her team so the company can take on more clients.
“My family is proud of me because they know my work helps keep our community’s food and water safe,” said Nishan Majid, one of the lab’s new microbiologists.
“Now when we show new clients our lab, it gives them confidence to work with us. This helps other companies grow as well, especially the smaller ones because they can compete in international markets,” said Azhin.
In the future, Azhin hopes to look back and see that she expanded her lab to other locations in Kurdistan, and eventually throughout Iraq.
“If I met myself 10 years ago, I’d tell myself, ‘Keep going, you’re on the right path.’ Today, I have a vision to make this company one of the leading laboratories in Iraq. I must keep going.”
Business and financial support for Azhin’s Winsome company has become possible thanks to the support from the Government of Finland through IOM’s EDF.
The EDF provides financial capital to small and medium-sized enterprises in Iraq, like Winsome, fostering job creation and economic growth, contributing to broader recovery efforts, and addressing the consequences of conflict, displacement, and the COVID pandemic. Given that 60 percent of Iraq’s jobs are in the private sector, business support plays a key role in stabilizing the economy and enabling Iraqis to rebuild their lives. Read more about IOM’s Enterprise Development Fund.
