In northeast Syria, years of conflict and economic hardship have left many women facing grief, loneliness and sole caregiving responsibilities of their families. With limited access to psychosocial support, their struggles often go unseen. International Medical Corps addresses these needs through women’s and girls’ safe spaces (WGSSs), where women can find peer support, learn coping strategies and rebuild confidence. By offering a secure environment for healing and growth, these WGSSs help women move from pain to resilience.
For Aliaa (name changed to protect identity), a woman in her mid-20s, each day felt heavy and slow. She lost her brother in the conflict and was dealing with grief. Her husband had left the country in search of a better life abroad, sending Aliaa little or no financial support for extended periods. As a result, Aliaa had to assume the sole responsibility for caring for her family.
When Aliaa’s long-time friend, Huda, visited her one day, she told Aliaa about a WGSS, supported by International Medical Corps, at Raqqa Hospital. Huda had once enrolled in our WGSS, and she shared her experience of how we helped her heal and connect with other women, which gave her hope and joy at a difficult time in her life.
At first, Aliaa hesitated to seek help, unsure if the WGSS could help her. But in January 2025, she took a leap of faith and visited the WGSS for the first time. In the beginning, she felt shy and intimidated. She sat quietly in a corner, uncertain if she belonged. However, something inside her changed during a group activity using feeling cards. For the first time in years, she found words to describe her emotions. In another session, when asked to introduce herself and to choose a name that best described her, she said softly but with newfound confidence, “I am Aliaa, and I choose the name ‘compassion,’ because I deserve to be compassionate with myself before [being compassionate to] others.”
During the next few weeks, Aliaa began to open up more. She interacted with other women attending different sessions and shared her story. Over time, she learned skills to help support other women in her village. She welcomed many into her home, listening to their struggles—often about daily stressors—and encouraged them to join the WGSS. She became a supporter of our program to prevent and treat violence against women and girls, helping spread awareness and guiding other women to receive the same support that changed her life.
She continued to visit the WGSS for three months. When the centre temporarily closed for two days, Aliaa feared she had lost a vital part of her new life. She was ecstatic when the WGSS reopened and told the facilitator, “My soul has returned; my place has returned.”
Don’t let anything stop you. You may be shy or hurt, but there is strength inside you. Believe in it, and take one step each day toward your dreams.
Aliaa
Aliaa is an example of resilience and determination. She overcame her loneliness and hardships to find her voice and purpose in helping others. “Don’t let anything stop you,” she says. “You may be shy or hurt, but there is strength inside you. Believe in it, and take one step each day toward your dreams.”
