The Syrian civil war, which started in 2011, has resulted in the world’s largest refugee crisis. In 2024, an estimated 16.7 million people within the country will require humanitarian aid—the highest number since the crisis began. Displacement, poverty and additional hardships brought by the February 2023 earthquakes continue to inflict suffering on Syrians, 90% of whom live below the poverty line.
15-year-old Sama lives in Rural Damascus with her father, elderly grandparents and two siblings. Like many other Syrians, Sama’s family has been profoundly affected by poverty and conflict.
One day, Sama disappeared from her home. Her family was terrified; for two days they had no idea where she was or if she was safe. When she finally returned home, she was confused and had no memory of what had happened during that time. She knew that she had run away with a stranger, but it wasn’t clear where she had gone.
Sama and her family were all extremely distressed by the experience. Even though she was now physically safe, the family all experienced anxiety and suffered from the social stigma of their community learning about the episode. This caused a period of intense emotional distress for the family, and for Sama in particular.
International Medical Crops supports the Beit Sahem Women’s and Girls’ Safe Space (WGSS), with funding from the European Union. Sama’s grandmother had heard about the WGSS and decided to bring her granddaughter there for help and support.
Sama’s case manager set up one-to-one sessions where she started building a trusting relationship with the young girl, and comprehensively assessed her situation and psychological state. Sama gradually opened up about her experiences, telling her case manager that witnessing the separation of her parents and the related family conflict a few years ago had caused her significant distress. She had been very upset by the family turmoil, and these feelings had resurfaced recently. She had started self-harming and even tried to overdose on medicine to end her life.
The case manager listened to and supported Sama, creating a tailored care plan to help her overcome her struggles. This care plan included psychoeducation sessions, a referral to a psychiatrist and psychological therapy. Because of the severity of Sama’s situation, the team also created a safety plan with her grandmother, to ensure Sama’s immediate well-being, and emphasized to her grandmother the importance of rebuilding Sama’s support network.
In Sama’s one-to-one therapy sessions, the psychologist focused on improving her self-esteem and helping her learn to express her emotions healthily. Sana liked using art therapy to express herself through drawing. The team also ran educational sessions with Sana’s family to help them better support her—for example, by using positive reinforcement and encouragement instead of criticism or punishment.
I felt relieved that I could tell my family what was happening with me, and that they would listen without criticizing me. For the first time, I began to recognize the positive aspects of my life.
Sama
The intervention with her family made a huge difference for Sama. She started participating more in family life, and even began visiting her mother. “I felt relieved that I could tell my family what was happening with me, and that they would listen without criticizing me,” Sama said. “For the first time, I began to recognize the positive aspects of my life.” Her father had previously been emotionally distant, but now he started taking a more active role in caring for his daughter.
At the start of the team’s intervention, Sama had completed a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). At the time, her score was 24, a high level that indicates significant psychological distress. However, after 12 sessions with the psychologist, she completed the SDQ again and her score had dropped to 6.
Sama’s positive progress continued. She returned to a language course she’d been attending, and her social life expanded. Her family noticed the difference in the young girl. “Sama has managed to discover her true identity, and has new hopes for the future,” said her grandfather. “This reflects a positive transformation in her life.”
Sama’s journey toward recovery underscores the profound impact that mental health support can have in conflict-affected areas. With timely intervention from International Medical Corps, Sama and her family have been able to rebuild their relationships, strengthen their support systems and create a safer, more stable environment for her.
