Flight from War

Maysoon was 27 years old when she fled with her three children from the armed clashes in her hometown in Daraa Province, Syria. In February 2013, she set out on a grueling journey towards the Jordanian-Syrian border. She traveled more than 20 kilometers on foot, braving rain and wind, and at times rode in cars before finally reaching the Jaber/Naseeb crossing.

"We suffered a lot until we reached the Jordanian border, but the February frost, the coldest month of the year, was much more merciful than the bombing," says Maysoon. 

"We walked an entire day until we reached the Jordanian border, where we were received by Jordanian General Security and taken to Zaatari Camp," Maysoon continues. Over time, she began to settle into the camp, located about 30 kilometers from the Jordanian-Syrian border. Her husband visited her and the children during military-permitted visits before returning to the camp where he was stationed.

However, life in the camp was not easy. Beyond the struggles of being a refugee and the distance from her home and family, Maysoon faced another challenge—her extreme shyness. "I was introverted. I felt embarrassed when someone spoke to me, and I didn’t know how to respond. My personality was very weak," she recalls with a shy smile. As if asylum was not hardship enough, her husband was abusive during his visits. His violence towards her escalated. "I don't know what happened, but sometimes he would beat me," she says sadly.

Maysoon’s Journey to Self-Empowerment

Maysoon’s reality changed when she attended an awareness-raising session organized by the Institute for Family Health, affiliated with the Noor Al Hussein Foundation, at the Women and Girls Safe Space (WGSS). The initiative, supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the European Union, initially piqued her curiosity. That first session marked the beginning of her transformation. She later participated in individual awareness-raising sessions, which she learned about through volunteers from within the camp.

Gradually, Maysoon began to rebuild herself. Not only did she develop a stronger personality, but she also became a social activist, educating the camp’s women and girls on various topics such as the importance of vaccines, literacy, disease prevention, and first aid. "I now conduct awareness-raising sessions for women about vaccines, tuberculosis, literacy, and other topics to raise awareness and prevent violence against them," she says with a confidence she never knew before.

When Women Are Empowered to Confront Violence

Exclusive activities for women, such as carpentry, electrical training, football, and Zumba, were introduced in the WGSS to strengthen women’s personalities. These activities proved life-changing for many, including Maysoon. "I never imagined I would participate in football matches or Zumba classes," she laughs. "But the absence of men in these activities and the presence of only women and girls helped strengthen our self-confidence and freed us from male dominance."

However, this change was not easy. Her husband, who had always controlled her, did not accept her transformation. "He sometimes beat me and controlled me financially to an unbearable extent," she says through tears. "I filed for divorce, and I will no longer allow him to harm me." The once weak woman who feared confrontation had now learned to stand up for herself.

WGSSs, part of a UNFPA program, provide opportunities for information exchange, networking, awareness-raising, and support for women. They serve as safe spaces for those who have suffered from trauma, loss, abuse, domestic violence, and other hardships.

Through UNFPA programs, Maysoon also gained financial independence, receiving support that alleviated her economic burdens and empowered her to resist her husband’s abuse. She even encouraged her 25-year-old married daughter, who also suffered abuse, to attend awareness-raising sessions.

Today, I feel like a strong person. I guide other women who thank me for the support, information, and awareness I provide

Says Maysoon

From Victim to Community Leader

Hanadi Zalatimo, a case manager at WGSS, observes, "Maysoon, who has endured the horrors of war, the cruelty of asylum, and her husband’s abuse in a society where such violence is common, has now become a strong, independent woman. She has overcome her struggles, developed her personality, and secured her safety and well-being."

"Today, I feel like a strong person. I guide other women who thank me for the support, information, and awareness I provide," Maysoon declares proudly. "This self-confidence has become part of my humanitarian responsibility towards the women in the camp. I don't want to see other women suffer as I have. I don’t want them to be abused."

With a broad smile, she adds, "My shyness and weakness have turned into high self-confidence. I no longer feel like a burden to society but rather an active force for positive change in many women’s lives. We still have much work to do, but we are taking steady steps on the path to change, and that is what I will continue to do when I return home."

The Institute for Family Health Care of the Noor Al Hussein Foundation, in partnership with UNFPA, provides both material and moral support to women and girls. WGSS is one of its core programs, aiming to empower women by offering knowledge and skills that lead to positive social change. These services help protect vulnerable women so they can face life’s challenges, provide better care for their children, and build a better future.

The European Union Humanitarian Aid generously supports the Reproductive Health Clinic as well as the Women & Girls Safe Space in Zaatari Camp.