October 26, 2014

The violence of war marks her short life. Marwa was born 15 years ago as a Palestinian in a refugee camp in Syria. There she had friends and could go to school.

War changed everything.

She is an orphan now, and a second-time refugee.  She watched as her parents were killed. Now, she watches her only surviving uncle struggle to feed 12 children. This is dangerous for Marwa. She fears that anything can happen to her.

The violence of war is brutal. It destroys and leaves ongoing cycles of violence in its wake.  What can Marwa do to break the cycles that threaten her? Is her only option to become another nameless statistic forced into early marriage, with no education and no voice?

On the global scale, military action in Syria escalated in recently, resulting in over 150,000 more refugees in a matter of days. Many people now are observers. They wait.

On the human scale, danger escalates for children caught in the tailwind of violence: fainting from hunger, isolated from friends, devastated by hopelessness. We are their neighbors. We will act.

Marwa belongs to one of the 800 refugee families in Jordan’s port city of Aqaba. They are within our reach to help. And we do.

We connect with heroes in the local community who provide food to prevent children from being trafficked because families cannot feed them. We respond to their aspirations: this year, 170 young refugee girls get a chance at education and community support in a safe space.  

Destruction is not the only story of war. There are also stories of hope and heroes. Join us in breaking the cycle of violence.  Marwa does not have to live in fear.


Name changed for confidentiality and protection.