The past several years of fighting have brought death and destruction to Syria. The consequences for the Syrian women have been particularly brutal.
Women tend to be the ones who sustain the resilience of families and communities, trying to keep their families healthy, fed and together. In many cases, they have become the sole breadwinners overnight, after losing husbands and fathers to the conflict.
Nejmé, a 14-year-old Syrian refugee in LebanonKadija, a 44-year-old Syrian Refugee in Iraq
In a makeshift refugee settlement in Ketermaya, Lebanon, Nejmé teaches reading, writing, math and science to a lively group of children. This resilient young woman from the outskirts of Damascus offers outdoor classes as a small but positive distraction for young children, some of whom have spent half their lives fleeing the horrors of war. "With these classes, I hope to help them forget their problems and the loss of their loved ones," she explains.
With four children, Kadija struggles to support her family in Erbil, Iraq. More than 80,000 Syrians have settled in this place. Here they have found a roof: in garages, buildings under construction, informal settlements or small apartments. "We survive because our Iraqi neighbors give us food at least two or three times a week," she says.