Children are often among those most affected by crises. In Syria, in particular, the crisis—which has now left a decade behind—has caused an entire generation to grow up without ever knowing peace. Many of the tens of thousands of children left orphaned are struggling with serious injuries and psychological issues. Islamic Relief supports Syrian refugees in Jordan to help heal the wounds of trauma.
There are more than 700,000 Syrian refugees who have sought sanctuary in Jordan in search of a safe place, trying to restart their lives in the shadow of ongoing conflict and hardship. More than half of this number consists of children.
Thousands of families are fighting for survival, often lacking access to food, water, healthcare, and even shelter. According to a UNICEF report, 85% of Syrian refugee children in Jordan live below the poverty line.
Struggling with Hearing Issues
12-year-old Maryam* and her family fled their hometown of Daraa in 2013 when the situation became unbearable. The family had no choice but to flee to ensure the safety of their children.
“When we lived in Syria, our financial situation was quite good. My husband was a builder. Our house was beautiful. Everything was wonderful back then, but now none of it remains,” says Maryam’s mother.
As soon as the family reached Jordan, they settled in the Al-Zaatari camp, where they lived in very poor conditions for two months.
“We left the camp after one of my children was diagnosed with hepatitis. Since we had no income, we couldn't cover the treatment costs; a few months later, my child passed away. I also noticed that something was wrong with Maryam. She couldn't hear me unless I shouted loudly, and she had difficulty speaking. I needed to take her to a doctor, but when her father was injured around that time, we had no money left to cover Maryam’s treatment,” says Maryam’s mother.
Omar* is another Syrian refugee child living in Jordan. Although he has had a hearing impairment for the past few years, his family could not afford his treatment.
“Hearing loss was significantly affecting Omar’s life as it also hindered his speech and language development. When we took him to the doctor, we were told that Omar needed either surgery or a hearing aid. However, we could afford neither. I am old now—only my eldest son works in our family, and his salary is only enough to cover our rent,” says Omar’s father, Kasim.
How do we help children like Maryam and Omar?
Islamic Relief organizes efforts to deliver the necessary healthcare services to Syrian refugee children in Northern Jordan. To this end, the organization helps improve the lives of children and their families by providing essential medical equipment, ensuring medical intervention, and conducting health awareness seminars. Maryam and Omar are just two of the 54 children who received hearing aids through this project, which has significantly improved their quality of life.
Being able to hope again
“Nothing hurts a mother more than seeing her child suffer. I had concerns about Maryam’s future. What if she lost her hearing completely one day? We couldn't do anything because my husband couldn't work due to his illness. If it weren't for the food vouchers, we would have gone hungry. You supported us when we needed it most. You gave Maryam the hope of hearing fully again. She communicates with us much more now,” says Maryam’s mother.
The hearing aid has also made an extremely positive contribution to Omar’s development.
“When Omar was at school, he couldn't hear what was being taught in class and couldn't speak like his peers. His teacher said we needed to fix his speech problem before he lost his hearing entirely. Alhamdulillah, after Omar received his hearing aid, the expected worst-case scenario did not happen. May Allah be pleased with you. Omar can now talk to us and respond quickly. He is also quite successful at school, and this makes us very happy,” says his father, Kasim.
*Names have been changed for protection purposes.
