Among her experiences in Japan, the visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park stands out in Mawadah’s memory. She recounts how families could only infer that a loved one had been killed by the atomic bomb by objects they found in the rubble, like a watch, a teapot, or a shadow.

It reminds her that life is a constant development. She calls on other entrepreneurs who want to make a social impact to keep learning and evolving, even into new fields. 

You will never know your potential, even [if] it has nothing to do with your profession or your background education. … Believe in yourself, and get out of your comfort zone. Meet new people and get inspired.” —Dr. Mawadah Arif Hammadi (Iraq), UNITAR alumna

She aspires to demonstrate the values of lifelong education and community service. “I want to be the best physician in my country, and I want to give back to my community.”

United Nations Online Volunteer Saravanan Thangarajan contributed to this article.