Holding On to Hope: Where Survival Is a Daily Battle

Nada and her family, including her husband, four children, and her mother-in-law, are a Syrian family who arrived in Jordan in 2012. Since then, they have been living in a small tent in South Amman, and like many other refugees, face daily challenges that make life even harder.

Upon entering the tent, the first thing one notices is how carefully Nada tries to create warmth in a place that offers her so little in return. The worn, mismatched blankets are neatly folded and arranged around a small heater that barely works. Every detail shows her effort to bring a sense of order and comfort to her family despite the harshness of their surroundings. It is a home built on resilience, not resources.

For Nada and her husband, Hamad, however, the difficulties go far beyond economic hardship. Their children's health problems are the greatest struggles they endure.  

Despite their resilience, the family’s living conditions remain harsh, and every day is a fight to meet basic needs. With tears in his eyes and a soft voice, Hamad shared, “The hardest thing for the family is my children’s health situation. It’s painful to see them suffer while I’m unable to do anything for them.”

Jamal, the oldest, and his sister Rou’a both suffer from serious health conditions that affect their speech, mobility, and cognitive abilities to varying degrees. Jamal’s condition is more severe, preventing him from attending school, unlike Rou’a.

Both children need a medical visit for proper assessment and follow-up treatment. So far, they have only seen a doctor once because of financial constraints. Even transportation costs are beyond their means. And what makes it harder is that Hamad is unemployed.  He has no work permit and fears working illegally. He explained, “I’m afraid to work outside and get imprisoned or deported to Syria. My children need me to stay by their side.”

Although Jamal and Rou’a cannot express their love for their siblings with words, their actions spoke louder than anything they could say. Throughout the visit, they kept moving toward their brothers and sisters, wrapping their loving arms around them and covering them with innocent kisses, as if silently whispering, We love you.  

Nada recently gave birth to twins, Salah and Somaya. Hamad said joyfully, “God gave me Salah and Somaya as compensation for my two I lost ten years ago.”

Medair’s intervention was fast, to cover the delivery and neonatal care costs, amounting to 850 Jordanian dinars ($1,198). This vital assistance spared Hamad from accumulating new debt and gave the family a moment of relief and hope. “The help came from heaven. The twins stayed in neonatal care for about 12 days, and in less than a month, the hospital bill was paid. They spared me from new debt.” Hamad said.

Despite the joy of welcoming their newborn twins, whom they consider a blessing and compensation for all that they have lost, the family continues to face immense hardships. During winter, rain seeps into their tent, and the cold worsens their already fragile living conditions. Hamad describes their struggle: “Water enters the tent, and the cold is unbearable.” 

The health team referred the family to receive multipurpose cash assistance, supporting them to cover their most pressing essential needs and reduce daily financial burdens.

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Their story reflects the daily struggles of many refugee families in Jordan, who endure harsh realities while striving to survive with dignity.

Medair’s work in Jordan is made possible through the support of the European Union, and the German Federal Foreign Office. Together, we stand alongside vulnerable refugees, helping them overcome ongoing barriers to accessing lifesaving healthcare and emergency treatment when it matters most.

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