FARMINGTON HILLS — To countless Iraqis she’s known as the American humanitarian who has helped bring relief to their suffering by providing them with medical equipment and supplies following the 2003 U.S. led invasion of what was once deemed one of the most elegant countries in the world.

Nidhal Garmo’s humanitarian efforts began after the invasion, a tragedy that hit close to home. “When it hits your own people, it’s different,” she said. She emigrated to the United States from Baghdad, Iraq more than three decades ago, and while the war officially came to an end last year her unwavering commitment to helping victims of war and poverty is only expanding. 

Garmo’s work in delivering aid to Iraq and Kurdistan earned her the title of the World Medical Relief’s (WMR) Ambassador of Health. In October the WMR honored her with the 2012 Global Humanitarian Award at its 59th annual gala for serving the needs of the international community through health care assistance. 

Her relief efforts have grown from Iraq to Kurdistan, and now spread beyond those regions into places such as Honduras. Garmo says she’s managed to get millions of dollars worth of medical equipment and supplies to Iraqi civilians, many of whom wouldn’t have access to them otherwise. 

Garmo with an Iraqi woman; she’s been honored for promoting religious harmony in the Middle East and U.S.A.

To assist Iraqis better she launched the charity, For Victims of War and Poverty which has since closed down as she works more closely with the WMR to garner support for impoverished people around the world. In collaboration with the WMR, Garmo shipped six containers of medical equipment and supplies to Iraq. To assure smooth transportation and customs clearing, Garmo personally followed each container to its final destination, and even got the media involved to expose anyone who caused transportation delays. 

She’s working with the WMR’s medical supply sorting center by employing a coordinator who’s improving the quality, quantity and continuity of the sorted and packed supplies which are shipped in containers to many countries across the globe.  As the WMR’s ambassador of health she’s trying to bring more advanced mobile digital technologies to the Middle East in an effort to detect diseases. Without the technology the diseases could surface to the point where treatment is no longer an option.

The WMR is a non-profit charity organization based in Detroit. Its mission is to impact the well being of medically impoverished people on local, national and international levels. It collects financial donations and goods, including medical dental and laboratory items, and purchases and distributes the items. In 2005 the WMR reportedly spent $18,405,574 on charity programs, and in 2011 it managed to save 551,

960 pounds from going to waste, and turn them into life saving useable goods.

Garmo has raised awareness on the devastation surrounding Iraqi children, and the widespread problem of expired and fake medicines being dispensed into the country. In many developing countries people are overpaying for medications that don’t work, and could harm them. Garmo has collaborated with government officials to address and put an end to the issue, which has led to infants being born with congenital diseases. 

Even as a child Garmo remembers feeling hurt when seeing images in the media of devastating events, but when similar events started taking place among Iraqis, people she identifies so much with, she couldn’t sit back and just watch. “Ever since I was a child, I used to get hurt watching human suffering. I would watch the news, and see a child left to die.  I used to have days, weeks and nights of not being able to sleep. How are all these people dieing, and we’re not doing anything about it?” she said. “If cancer is impossible to treat this is not.”  

Garmo has hand delivered gifts and toys to Iraqi children who have been physically and mentally effected by the war. She wanted to be a 

Garmo giving a sick Iraqi child a dress. Through her humanitarian efforts she’s comforted children who have been physically and mentally affected by the war by providing them with toys and clothing.

“mom” to all the Iraqi children who lost their parents. Garmo has made appearances on several news outlets, and has videos that give a glimpse into the effects war has on civilians. 

Garmo is the founder and owner of Sav-Mor Pharmacy in Farmington Hills. It’s very well known and one of Detroit’s first multi-lingual pharmacies, where in store business and home deliveries are conducted in English, Arabic, Chaldean and Russian. 

Growing up Garmo initially planned on becoming a medical physician, it was a dream her family shared with her. She says choosing a career in pharmacy eventually worked out best, because it’s more flexible then a physician’s career, and allowed her to have more time to fulfill her humanitarian efforts.   “I chose to become a pharmacist, thank God, thank God. A doctor’s life is so different,” she said. 

Even as a young girl, Garmo was always fascinated by women who led humanitarian efforts, and always dreamed of following in their footsteps. “I always wished, but I never thought I would become one of those women,” Garmo said.  “If you have a dream, no matter how big the dream is, if you trust yourself, you can do it, because other people will believe in you too.” 

Garmo has many individual cases she’s worked on where she tries to help people by donating money to them, or raising awareness on their plight.  Garmo has witnessed the devastating effects of war firsthand. She said one mother had four children and each child had cancer, and one man in Iraq had poked nearly 50 women with the same needle because he didn’t have enough medical supplies. Garmo says a whole box of needles can cost as little as $1.70  “I said what are you doing? He said ‘what do you want me to do?”’

She has received awards from several organizations such as the Human Rights Society U.S.A., the Universal Peace Federation for promoting religious harmony in the U.S.A. and the Middle East; she was elected as the 2007 person of the year by the National Arab American Medical Association, Michigan Chapter for helping children in Iraq; at the 2011 Iraqi Medical Sciences Association Convention in Detroit, Garmo received the Humanitarian Citizens Award; the Assyrian Medical Society has honored her as well. 

Visiting a country amid war is scary, but the dangers have never held her back from making trips to Iraq. She says sometimes the dangers are over exaggerated, and many parts of Iraq are still safe.  “I tell people you can go on a mission and still have fun,” she said. Garmo has helped people of all backgrounds and doesn’t look at people’s race, creed or religion. “I go to where the most help is needed. You can’t pick who you help,” she said. Outside of being a humanitarian and successful businesswoman, Garmo is widely known for promoting interfaith unity and tolerance. “If anyone has hate against any human being this person is not a religious person and this person doesn’t know God. The word hate has to be taken out of your heart, even your enemy. I have friends from all different backgrounds,” she said. 

Garmo says you don’t have to be in a high position of power or have a lot of money to help people in need.  “You don’t have to be a doctor or a lawyer, if you don’t have money you have time,” she said. She says by simply telling people about the WMR, donating to it, or spreading awareness about an important cause they’re making a difference. Garmo’s new post at the WMR is allowing her to go into other countries to provide assistance. “I was only doing Iraq, but now there’s more countries that need help. The more you give the more you get back,” she said. 

If you have an important humanitarian effort you want to get involved in contact Garmo at nidael1028@aol.com.