Since 2011, the conflict in Syria has spawned a major humanitarian crisis that has displaced millions of people. As the situation continues to worsen, the Syrian populace faces multifaceted challenges, including escalating violence, deepening poverty and acute shortages of food and water. Additionally, access to essential services such as healthcare has become increasingly scarce. As a result, an estimated 16.7 million people in Syria find themselves in urgent need of humanitarian aid. After enduring more than a decade of relentless conflict and economic instability, a significant number of Syrians also require mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing crisis.
14-year-old Rojda and her family used to live in Aleppo. After their home was attacked during the conflict, they fled to the countryside surrounding Damascus, where they rented a house but struggled to make ends meet. Rojda’s father was unemployed, and her mother had a chronic illness that prevented her from working. The family relied completely on aid provided by NGOs to survive. Rojda had her own problems, too. She had frequent flashbacks and nightmares about the violence she’d experienced in her hometown. She felt tired and unhappy all the time, and she often wet the bed at night. Her parents didn’t know how to help. Her mother started to beat and yell at her because of the bedwetting, but this only made the situation worse. Rojda constantly felt scared and on-edge.
With the support of European Union, International Medical Corps provides MHPSS services to people in Syria. Rojda first encountered the MHPSS team in a community awareness session about International Medical Corps’ services, and she and her mother decided to seek support at an International Medical Corps clinic.
Initially, Rodja and her mother sought out the gynaecology department for help with Rodja’s nighttime incontinence. However, the specialists quickly realized that the issue was psychologically driven and referred Rodja to the MHPSS team.
After a comprehensive assessment, the MHPSS case manager designed a personalised care plan for Rodja. They conducted individual psychosocial support sessions with her, building trust and helping her understand why she was experiencing the flashbacks and other issues. The case manager told her that emotional experiences can be influenced by our thoughts and behaviors, and taught Rodja methods of coping with these experiences. Over time, Rodja learned during the counselling sessions to manage these challenges using various techniques, including progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises and drawing. The case manager also met privately with Rodja’s mother to provide psychoeducation and parenting guidance.
Rodja’s soon began to show improvement. As time went on, she became happier, gained energy and enjoyed social interactions more. Her physical and psychological symptoms are continuing to improve, thanks to the effective interventions and care of the International Medical Corps MHPSS team.
