Humanitarian and founder of Women for Women International, best selling author, TV host and inspirational speaker.
Click here for full bio
Book for public speaking and media appearances.
Zainab in the media
Through her eyes, Yahoo News
#MeToo, Now What? PBS
The Zainab Salbi Project – Huffington Post Originals
The Nidaa Show – Promo Video
Women in the world
Ted Talk – Women, wartime and the dream of peace
Love Fearlessly is how I live everyday.
Zainab Babble Video
Books
Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam
Paperback – August 17, 2006
“…a torrent of vividly recalled memories [that] reads with the sort of artless
verve that can come only from one who’s been unshackled from a lifetime of repression.”
“…a torrent of vividly recalled memories [that] reads with the sort of artless
verve that can come only from one who’s been unshackled from a lifetime of repression.”
- Vogue
– Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple
Paperback – August 17, 2006
Featuring Forewords by Meryl Streep, Annie Lennox, Ashley Judd, and Geena Davis.
“”If You Knew Me You Would Care” presents stunning photographs of women living where violence, poverty, and conflict are a given. Luckily, they have survived to tell their tale.
Paired with their personal stories, the photographs of smiling faces become truly powerful and inspiring documents of life beyond crisis. “
Zainab Salbi and Rennio Maifredi take us beyond the tragedy of war and the sigma of victimhood to reach the unique story of each women.
The interviews and images captured in this book are a powerful reminder of the enduring dignity of these women and to the importance of Women for Women International's work on their behalf.
- The Huffington Post
- Angelina Jolie
Hardcover - September 19, 2006
“…a torrent of vividly recalled memories [that] reads with the sort of artless verve that can come only from one who’s been unshackled from a lifetime of repression.”
“A remarkable, astonishing memoir…more can be learned about Iraq from this book than from all the newscasts.”
- Vogue
– Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple
Humanitarian
Women for Women International – Founder
Zainab Salbi is an Iraqi-American humanitarian, entrepreneur, author,and media commentator who has dedicated herself to women’s rights and freedom. At the age of 23, she founded Women for Women International—a grassroots humanitarian and development organization dedicated to serving women survivors of war.
Under her leadership (1993-2011), Women for Women International grew from helping 30 women upon its inception to more than 447,000 in 8 conflict areas, leading to a distribution of more than $120 million in aid and loans. Salbi is also the author of three books: the national bestseller “Between Two Worlds: Escape from Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam” (with Laurie Becklund); “The Other Side of War: Women’s Stories of Survival and Hope”; and “If You Knew Me, You Would Care.” Her books received support from iconic women writers such as Alice Walker and from several celebrities including, but not limited to, Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, and Annie Lennox.
In 2010, President Clinton nominated Salbi as one of the 21st century heroes as featured in Harper’s Bazaar. Newsweek and The Guardian named her in the Top 100 list of Most Influential Women (2011) and The Economist Intelligence Unit identified her as one of most inspirational women (2011). Most recently, Fast Company included Salbi on the list of 100 Most Influential Women (2012), and PBS’ Makers series highlighted Salbi as one of the Women Who Make America. Salbi has received extensive coverage in US, UK, and global media from CNN to The New York Times, Financial Times, and The Independent. Most notably, Salbi appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show 10 times. Salbi was also named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2007 and the Clinton Global Initiative Lead by President Clinton in 2010.
