The Power of Psychological Support

One of the most pivotal aspects of the program was the psychological support sessions, where Liqaa was encouraged to reflect on her journey and the toll the years of displacement had taken on her. "The sessions were a turning point," she recalls. "They helped me understand how I had survived, and more importantly, how my true strength was revealed not in the crisis but in the moments when I reflected on how I had overcome it."

These therapeutic sessions were not just about processing trauma; they empowered her to confront fears that had long held her back—fears of rejection, of being stigmatized, and of not belonging. The fear of being an outsider, especially when surrounded by others who had never lived in the refugee camps, weighed heavily on her. "I worried the others would look down on me," Liqaa admits. "I was terrified that the children would see me as different, an outsider who didn’t belong."

But when the work began, something unexpected happened. "The children treated me as one of their own, as a teacher," Liqaa says with a smile. "I could see the joy in their faces as they came to class, the way they rallied together, breaking down the walls that had divided us. It was the first time I truly felt like I was coming home."

Rediscovering the Dream of Teaching

Liqaa’s dream to teach had seemed a distant memory, eclipsed by the harsh realities of war and displacement. "Before the war, I was on my way to graduating from the College of Education," she remembers. "But when everything collapsed, I lost my sense of direction. I never imagined I would stand in front of a classroom again."

But when the children, with their innocent enthusiasm, began calling her "Teacher Liqaa," her heart swelled with a powerful realization: "Some dreams have no expiration date." That moment, when a child asked her for lessons every day, was a profound reminder that despite the years of loss, her dream was still alive. "I never thought I would be teaching again. But here I was, helping these children rebuild their future while also rebuilding my own."

The Transformative Power of Community

Through her role in the program, Liqaa discovered that real transformation comes not just through individual effort but through community support. Working together with other returnees, she experienced firsthand the strength of collective action, where each person's effort contributed to the broader healing of a community.

"At first, I thought I was just helping the students," she says. "But I soon realized that the program helped all of us—the teachers, the students, the families. We were all healing together, learning to trust again, to believe in each other again."

Her newfound sense of belonging wasn’t just a result of her work in the classroom but the deep connections she built within the community. "I made lifelong friends during this process," Liqaa adds. "People I would never have met if I hadn’t stepped out of my comfort zone. We laughed, cried, and supported each other. It was the beginning of my real return home."

A New Beginning Amidst Old Wounds

The memories of the displacement—of the airstrikes, the deaths, the separation from her family—will never leave Liqaa. "My sister died in one of the bombings. I couldn’t even afford to get her medical treatment. My family lost so much," she says softly. But through the pain, there is now a sense of purpose. "The project allowed us to process those wounds. It didn’t erase them, but it helped us carry them with dignity and strength."