MEET TALIA

Talia (second girl from the left) and her friends at our partner child friendly space in Homs

My husband and I have three children: two girls who are 14 and seven years old, and a boy who is five years old. Our financial situation is very bad. My husband suffers from several chronic diseases and also has severe mental and psychological trauma since he lost his three brothers in the war. He refuses to let me leave the house and work, which makes me feel powerless and very shy and made me lose all self-confidence. I do not have an education anyway. My father-in-law is the only one working and supporting us all, and he can barely make ends meet.

When I heard about the child friendly space, I was very excited to enroll my seven-year-old daughter Talia. I wanted a place that would be a safe escape from our tough living conditions; a place where she could just be a child without having to worry about her family. It was important for her to build friendships, learn new skills, and grow physically and mentally.

When she first joined the center a year ago, she was very shy and did not interact with anyone. She did not want to participate in activities, she had a hard time expressing herself, she struggled with communicating her emotions and articulating her needs, and always wanted to be alone. The staff tailored some activities to fit her interests and encouraged her slowly to notice her skills and work on them. After a while, her behavior began to change for the better: she became more social, focused, and playful. Through building a loving and caring relationship with her, the caregivers were able to help Talia build her self-confidence, realize her talents, and become more open to having friends. She also now knows how to identify her feelings and communicate them clearly. The center also worked on introducing important life skills to Talia and her friends, that include building healthy friendships, coping with stress, and working on improving herself to fulfill her potential.

I am so proud of Talia’s achievements, and I am thrilled to see her thrive. Seeing her play, smile, and laugh is a dream come true. I dream of a day when all children can grow up to reach their full potential. A day when all children can have a good education again, and a decent life. A day when no one has to experience what we have been through.