Determined to reimagine a better future - Fadda and her four children

Ten years ago, Fadda and her children fled the war in Syria seeking shelter in Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan.

“We used to hide under the stairway since the bombs fell heavy and close, shaking our house,” recalls Fadda. “My children were terrified, constantly crying and clinging to me and their father.”

In March 2013, during a rainy and stormy day, her brother Yasser helped Fadda and her children to escape the violence in Syria and travel to Jordan. Fadda’s youngest child Ahmad, was barely two months old at the time.

The trip to Jordan was challenging and emotionally draining.

A trip that usually takes few hours, took Fadda and her family more than 10 hours to reach the Jordanian border.

“It was a very tough decision, I had to leave to protect my children from violence,” adds Fadda. “I had no choice but to leave my husband Louay behind.”

Fadda kept contact with her husband Louay for a period of six months after her arrival to Jordan.

“Now, I have no clue if he is alive or not,“ utters Fadda with a frown, slightly moving her black veil.

Determined to challenge social norms Like thousands of Syrian refugees, Fadda initially sought shelter at Za’atari refugee camp. With her four children, she lived at her brother’s makeshift tent.

Being a curious woman, Fadda got to know about Makani centres, and decided to enroll her children at the centre.

Makani centres, supported by UNICEF provide children with literacy and numeracy skills, in addition to life skills and computer. It also offers them with opportunities to plan and engage with their peers in a safe and protected environment.

“After witnessing how Makani centres help children, I started volunteering at one of the centres, helping to take care of younger children,” adds Fadda.

As the years passed, Fadda realized that she had to work harder to secure a better life for her children.

“I informed my brother Yasser that I wanted to leave the camp, and live with my children in the Jordanian capital Amman,” says Fadda.

Coming from a conservative family, Yasser refused Fadda’s idea and demanded that custody of her children be given to her in-laws, and that Fadda should remarry.

For Fadda, her brother’s demands were out of the question.

“My children are my soul, I will never give them up,” says Fadda.

With some help, Fadda left the camp. To her fortune, she found out that charitable organizations offer Syrian families subsidized housing.

“I could not believe my eyes when they gave me this small flat,” says Fadda with a smile.

Hajati programme offers Fadda a relief

As a refugee, Fadda receives monthly food stamps, sufficient to feed the family. With 78 per cent of Syrian refugees in Jordan living below the poverty line, food stamps are not enough to meet Fadda and her children’s daily needs.

Through UNICEF supported Hajati programme, Fadda gets JD100 ($140), a monthly cash assistance in support of her four children.

“The Hajati programme provides unconditional cash transfers to support most vulnerable primary school-aged children to continue to learn, many of whom are Syrian refugees like Fadda’s children,” says Manuel Rodrigues Pumarol, Chief Social Policy Programme, UNICEF Jordan.

A recent study on the impact of Hajati programme on most vulnerable families showed great benefits for children. Children benefitting from the programme are less likely to be engaged in child labour, and are more likely to go to school and receive three meals a day.

Fadda’s oldest child, 15-year old Riham who is in Grade 10 wishes to become a lawyer in the future to defend the rights of every child.

“There is nothing more important than education,” says Fadda. “I want each of my four children to continue their education and realize their dreams.”

Thanks to the generous funding from the Government of Italy, more than 2,000 children who benefitted from Hajati Programme are able to grow and develop to reach their full potential.

“The impact of Hajati programme also extends beyond the programme’s main education goals, it enhances children’s mental health and nutrition,” adds Pumarol.

“My children are very happy and safe,” says Fadda. “We are truly blessed.”