The lives of many of our community members have been radically changed since they were forced to leave their homes and countries, however many are managing to re-establish stability. One proud member was brave enough to volunteer to take us through an average day living as an urban refugee in Amman.
Samar is a community member who was an accountant in Baghdad prior to her escape. “There were many problems” she said, “my whole family left me, I felt as if I was living alone in Iraq.” Samar fled her country and arrived in Jordan in January 2015. She recalled that at first she felt very isolated, not knowing anyone in Amman. She would spend much of her time alone in her small apartment, wishing for a better life.
After the first month, she met people who were involved in various non-profit organizations and they encouraged her to come along to some of the activities that were offered by these organizations. One of the first she visited was CRP. She decided to get involved in the women’s empowerment and leadership programs. Samar is also a regular attendee at the medical lectures and trauma relief classes that CRP provides as psycho-social wellness activities.
These days, Samar is a very smiley and busy woman. “My days are full of courses and time spent with friends that I have made through the CRP community”, she says. An average day, she explains, starts at around nine or nine thirty, depending on the courses that she will be attending. She then meets with her friends at the program, which will usually end at around noon. Following her time spent at the community center, she will return home for lunch.
Her afternoons, she says with a smile, “are when the family time starts”. She is very happy that since her arrival in Amman, her niece and brother in law have been able to join her. They will often visit friends in the evenings, Samar mentions. “We are all so happy that there is a sense of community in this neighborhood”. Without it she expresses, she would have a lot less hope for her future.