After more than a decade of conflict, families in Syria continue to grapple with the long-term consequences of displacement, economic hardships and the collapse of essential services and infrastructure. Women and children are the most affected—they have limited access to mental health support, parenting resources and safe community spaces that promote resilience and healing, and they need them the most.
With support from the European Union, International Medical Corps continues to work across Syria to restore hope and help families rebuild their lives—one safe space at a time.
Sana, 23, is a young mother living in Beit Sahem in Rural Damascus. She shares a small house with her husband, their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter and her in-laws. Like many young mothers in Syria, she faced overwhelming emotional and psychological challenges as she embraced motherhood, with little support.
“I didn’t even want to have children,” she confessed. “When my daughter was born, I didn’t know what she wanted or how to respond to her. I was always frustrated, and she could feel it.”
Sana first heard about International Medical Corps’ women’s and girls’ safe space in Moadamiyah—supported by the European Union—through her neighbors. Encouraged by their stories, she visited the center and enrolled in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) program.
At the time, Sana struggled to communicate with her daughter, which affected her mental well-being and ability to bond with her child. Through the ECD program, she joined other mothers with children of similar ages and began participating in educational sessions about child development, the importance of play and responsive caregiving.
This wasn’t just a childhood development program—it was a soul development program. I feel like myself again. I feel like my spirit has returned to me.
Sana
These sessions helped her understand her daughter’s needs and created a supportive network of women exchanging personal stories and experiences. Soon, Sana began to set aside 30 minutes daily to play with her daughter and gradually found peace in the daily routines of motherhood.
After five sessions, her outlook began to shift: she became more engaged, less anxious, and started speaking to her daughter calmly and with warmth. She developed a good relationship with the other women in the group and felt comfortable sharing her daughter’s progress during the sessions.
In the final session, Sana shared a personal milestone: she had started painting again, reviving a hobby she had abandoned during her pregnancy. She and her husband even discussed their desire to have another child. “This wasn’t just a childhood development program—it was a soul development program,” Sana says with a smile. “I feel like myself again. I feel like my spirit has returned to me.”
Sana’s story highlights the transformative power of safe, supportive spaces and tailored programing for women and caregivers. By providing caregivers with knowledge and psychosocial support, International Medical Corps, with support from the European Union, is nurturing the well-being of today’s children and planting the seeds for a more resilient future.
