On the Road in Idlib, Syria

June 27, 2019.

Should I stay under bombs? Or should I flee into the unknown?

3 million people in Idlib, Syria face this question today. Right now. Most are citizens caught up in a deadly contest for control of this ancient agricultural province — waiting out what the United Nations has called the last battle of the Syrian conflict. Intermittent cease-fires since September of 2018 gave some respite, but now fighting is escalating nightmarishly.

There aren’t enough doctors. There isn’t enough water. There aren’t enough...MORE

Let's Zumba!

May 1, 2019.

Sara could feel the beat before she saw the action.

She walked into a packed room with women of all shapes and sizes dancing to heart-thumping music. The instructor had an infectious energy and welcomed everyone to participate – even a nervous first-timer like Sara. It felt more like a dance party than a workout class!

Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance workout that’s one of the most popular exercise classes in the world – and one of the most popular activities at our Youth Center in the Za’atari Refugee Camp.

...MORE

Autism Awareness

March 29, 2019.

Mosab was diagnosed with autism as a child. He's smart and likes to learn, but he was having a lot of trouble fitting into his classroom.

Mosab is sensitive to sound and touch – which makes being in a crowded, noisy classroom really tough! He wasn't able to talk and play easily with his peers, which made him an easy target for bullying. And his teachers were always upset with him for "behaving badly."

Eventually, Mosab dropped out of school and his parents enrolled him in our alternative education program. But his challenges weren't over yet.

After his...MORE

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

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