When Humanity is your Motivator, you Raise the Bar for Giving

Ammoun Kitabi, 58 years old, a certified midwife working at UNFPA Reproductive Health Clinic at Zaatari camp. In fact, she is one of thousands skilled and distinguished midwives who save lives and contribute to change among their communities.

In 1985, Ammoun studied midwifery for five years in Homs- Syria. Since then, she delivered thousands of babies through safe deliveries. Although she is currently working six days a week, she does not think of retiring anytime soon, as she is still capable of giving.

Before moving back to Jordan, which is her home country, Ammoun worked in Syria for five years. Since 1989, she moved between Irbid city hospitals. Then, she was promoted as the head of midwifery and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in 2009, after that she became head of the nursing section before joining UNFPA-JHASI (Jordan Health Aid Society Jordan Health Aid Society International) Reproductive Health Clinic in Zaatari camp.

"On my first day at work in the camp, I cried a lot. At that time, I had not worked with refugees before, and I had no idea about their conditions." She added, "The reason I cried was because I knew that most of them had everything they needed in their country; their lives might have been simple but it was a beautiful and stable one, until it was shaken when they were forced to flee to Jordan for safety from the shelling and war back home. They left everything behind."

"If you lose a simple thing, such as your mobile phone, you will get upset; imagine then how did those who left everything behind and headed towards the unknown feel like?”

Ammoun learned that she must work twice as hard, since these women are not only in dire need of the services offered, but also they needed someone to restore their lost sense of humanity. Ammoun believes that midwifery is a humanitarian profession first and foremost, so whoever chooses this career path must give indefinitely and unconditionally.

Indeed, Ammoun sees each of the women and girls she looks after as her daughter or child. She spares no effort to perform her tasks passionately; nonetheless, at certain times, this sometimes came at the cost of her own family. Ammoun always wears her smile while taking care of the women around her, reassuring them and talking to them as a friend, mother or sister. Consequently, Ammoun became an icon not only at the clinic, but also in the entire camp.

During her work at the camp’s clinic, Ammon participated and supervised thousands of safe deliveries. "Maybe God did not intend for me to have children of my own, as I wasn’t able to conceive. However, I consider all the children as my own, because I was there for them when their eyes saw light for the first time”, she said with tears of joy in her eyes. She then added, "I’m overwhelmed with joy when I meet a mother with her child, and she reminds me that I was by her side when she gave a safe birth".

Dr. Ghada Doulat, who is the Director of the clinic where Ammoun works expressed that Ammoun has become a necessity in the clinic, as she is quite a sensible person who emits kindness and manifests motherhood at its best. She added, “Ammoun is the backbone of this clinic, she has become so indispensable that I cannot imagine the clinic without her; she is the one who gives us positive vibes to carry out our duties.”

However, when COVID-19 pandemic was a reality across the globe, comprehensive lockdowns were imposed as a precaution. Hence, Ammoun was unable to reach the clinic due to the enforced movement restrictions. But, upon obtaining the necessary permits, she returned to work in challenging conditions all over the world and particularly difficult for refugees.

During those times, she realized that she had to work twice as hard to compensate for the severe shortage in authorized staff. Despite that, she was able to overcome this difficult period with diligence and resolve. When Ammoun sees the progress in the type of services provided to the beneficiaries, she feels satisfied and happy, “I feel that I was part in this great achievement”, she concluded.

UNFPA team left Ammoun with a radiant smile on her face, ready to receive more of her “daughters”, as she likes to call the clinic’s beneficiaries.

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Jordan Health Aid Society International (JHASI) is the national implementing partner of UNFPA/ Jordan for sexual and reproductive health sustainment at Zaatari Camp's Reproductive Health Clinic. EU Humanitarian Aid is the kind donor that supports the Clinic as well as the Women & Girls Safe Space in Zaatari Camp.