A New Beginning for Noor

February 28, 2019.

Noor dreaded going to school. She woke up every morning with a pit in her stomach.

Her family didn't have a lot of money. And she was very shy, so she had trouble fitting in with the other girls. Noor didn't really have any friends. And to make matters worse – some of the older girls had been bullying her for months.

This painful rejection from her classmates sapped her energy and affected her grades tremendously. She became deeply depressed and eventually dropped out of school, which isolated her even more.

When we first met Noor at our alternative education...MORE

A Year in Review

December 31, 2018.

Changes are in the air. Turning points.

Eight years of war in Syria have shown us the worst and the best of what one person can do to another. The worst? So many thousands of people have lost nearly everything that matters to them.

The best? People are coming together to help one another in their pain and trauma. Everyone is a wounded healer. Everyone needs everyone else. Acts of selfless, unexpected love are transforming us for a different future. Real turning points.

It is astonishing to see changes that are uniting two generations — those who knew Syria before 2011...MORE

Old But Gold

October 31, 2018.

One of the most important responsibilities of our Syria team is protection of the most vulnerable displaced people – women, children, the elderly – and helping them stay safe in conflicts and disasters.

We constantly inquire: How safe do you feel? Who do you feel safe with, or not? Does fear or your lack of safety hinder your getting food and medicine? Does your safety depend on your gender? Or your age?

We want to make sure that individuals and communities are protected from harm and relieved of fear, that they have safe access to services, and that their rights as human...MORE

The Creativity Fund Committee

October 1, 2018.

At the startup of the Za'atari Refugee Camp in 2012 our answer to a single question made all the difference in our experience there for the next 6 years: Are refugees a problem or a solution? We chose the latter – refugees are people, like us, with solutions. They just don't live at their usual home anymore.

We (Jordanian staff and Syrian volunteers) dreamed up very ambitious plans for youth-led activities in a Youth Center (that we would have to build!) in Za'atari Refugee Camp – a place where everyone already knew resources were scarce. Impossible! Really?...MORE

Redefining Food Aid in the 21st Century

August 31, 2018.

Questscope was recently commended for being one of the top global organizations “redefining food aid in the 21st century” by Food Tank, a think-tank working for food system change.

An incredible recognition! Because our main focus is not food in emergencies – our main focus is always on people. But when people in emergencies need food, we move all kinds of things to get food to them.

Our strength is in relationships, in the trust we build. So when formal infrastructures crumble, like in...MORE

Second Chance For Hassan

July 30, 2018.

Hassan lives in a rural farming community in Jordan. His dad died when he was young, so Hassan and his brothers dropped out of school to work on a local farm.

This was the only choice that stood between his family and starvation.

"I dropped out of school in the ninth grade because I cared more about providing for my family than going to school," said Hassan.

Hassan comes from a family of farmers...MORE

Beyond Her A, B, C's

April 30, 2018.

Every school day, Ala'a wakes up her younger sister Hurayah. Together they get ready and walk to our center in rural Jordan. Here these two teen girls have learned to read and write. They've discovered a passion for art and accessory making. They've gotten a second chance at an education – and a life beyond the four walls of their home.

When Ala’a was in first grade, she came home crying because she was being teased and bullied by other kids. She couldn't take the constant rejection and refused to go to school again.

She not only no longer went to school,...MORE

An Update from Damascus

April 12, 2018.

When thousands of children and families finally left the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta after enduring years of conflict – we were there.

We met people malnourished from years of deprivation, children who lost their moms and dads, and thousands more with deep emotional and physical wounds.

Providing refuge to these disoriented and fearful families was our first priority. Our first response was to organize a large transition shelter to host more than 12,000 people.

...MORE

Resolute Women are the Future

February 26, 2018.

What is the role of women in conflict?

Hundreds of thousands of young men in Syria have died or have been forced to flee to avoid being drafted into a war they do not want to fight. Young women have stepped into the void and now make up over half of our team in Syria.

They're distributing clean water, rebuilding shelters, educating children, and growing into a force for peace. Young women are redefining what it means to be female on the front lines of war.

...MORE

A Plumber's Toolkit

January 29, 2018.

Abu Munir lost a son in a bombing, and then lost his livelihood when he fled his home. He was forced to move into a single room with his wife and four surviving children. When they needed a bathroom or a kitchen, they relied on the kindness of their neighbors.

When our staff first met Abu Munir, he was still reeling from the death of his son. He cried more than he spoke, but eventually he opened up. He told us he had been a plumber before he was displaced.

...MORE

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