Fern L. Holland

Fern L. Holland died on March 9, 2004 in midst of working for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq. Her work consisted of creating hope and equality to the Iraqi people. Fern grew up believing that reagrdless who you were, and where you lived should be given the same opportunities as anyone else. She was convinced that "through simple acts of human kindness and understanding, it is possible to make the world a better place in which to live."

Fern L. Holland graduated from the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Tulsa's Law School, recieving honors. She had a well paying job at a successful firm, but all that she was doing could not fulfill her want. Her want was to sacrifice herself as a bearer hope. So she left her job and began to work for the Peace Corps. She settled in an area called Guinea. There in Guinea she worked hard to set up human rights, which she did.

In 2003, Fern was hired by the "US Agency for International Development" (USAID) to research Sadaam Hussein's regime and work with victims of violent abuse, due too war or any other matter. After the USAID, the Coalition Provisional Authority asked for help in setting up a democratic environmant for the Iraqi people. She found this fulfilling but what was more fulfilling was interaction among her and the women of Iraq. Fern, worked endlessly to set up womens rights in Iraq, setting up centers, and teaching them how to have a say in their government.

There was a group of "extremist" that saw Fern's work as a threat, and on March 9th, 2004 Fern, her assitant, Salwa Oushami, and Marine, Robert Zangas, were murdered on the side of a road in Iraq.

Fern L. Holland is a great example of a person of faith, since she died for what she completely trusted and believed in. She found peace in the most exotic way, but through that way, Fern established many relationships, connections, and hope for many Iraqi people who were under such persecution. She gave the people of Iraq the sense of change and hope needed to establish a feeling of value and purpose.

Sources

Fern Holland Charitable Site

Sonner Magazine

Fern Holland's War Homepage