In Syria, a Mother Built a Ladder from her Obstacles
Samaher is a 43-year-old mother of seven who has been the sole breadwinner for her family since her separation from her husband eight years ago. Her home is full of love but also great difficulty. Her eldest son, 22, has quadriplegic cerebral palsy with an intellectual disability and requires constant care. Her 18-year-old daughter, Hala, also has an intellectual disability and finds comfort and purpose in lovingly caring for her tedddy bears and toys. The youngest of her seven children is 10 years old.
When Samaher first found herself on her own, she spared no effort to secure an income for her family. "Necessity is the mother of invention," she said, recalling how she began making dish soap at home to sell to her neighbors.
She also enrolled in a sewing program run by a local organization. While she already had basic mending skills, receiving her own sewing machine allowed her to expand her capabilities significantly.
Beyond tailoring, she worked long, back-breaking hours harvesting other people's crops to earn as much as possible.
Despite the immense pressure, Samaher held fast to one core belief: her children's education. "Most of the people around me advised me to drop my children out of school so they could help me make money for the house, but I refused," she shared. "Thank God, all of my children are educated, and they’re still getting their education in school."
Her own unfulfilled educational dreams fuel her determination for her children. "I couldn’t continue my education due to my circumstances, but I love education. I wanted for my children to be educated and independent."
The constant physical work eventually damaged her health. She suffered a herniated disc and had to have an operation, which forced her to stop working completely. During her recovery, it was a painful and anxious time, as she didn't know how she would earn an income.
Support arrived at this most critical moment. Action Against Hunger, funded by the Syria Humanitarian Fund (SHF), has provided cash assistance to families in need who have members with disabilities. Samaher’s family was selected for this program. She has already received two payments and will receive four more.
"Securing regular diapers for my son and medicines for my daughter is an extra burden for me, especially when I stopped working after the surgery," Samaher explained. "The adult diapers are expensive and not always available."
"The cash assistance that you provided helped me in securing my children’s essentials, from diapers and medicines to various other things, as well as securing sewing supplies for my work," she said.
Her recovery has been a slow process. "After the surgery, I had to return to work very gradually, as the doctor insisted I needed full rest. I'm unable to do farm work anymore. My income now comes only from sewing and the support from Action Against Hunger."
- She described the impact of the assistance with a powerful sentence: "Your project was like a balm on a wound; it came at the right time, when I was not working and suffering to secure my children's needs." She added: “The passing months were very tough on me. I even started thinking about taking my 16-year-old daughter out of school so she could work and help me. I was hesitant and overwhelmed with different thoughts, but your program saved our financial situation and most importantly, my daughter's future."
While she understands the grant is temporary, she hopes this vital support can continue. Her gratitude, however, is immense. "I'm so grateful to everyone who contributed to this project and made an effort to help us, for the people in the shadows who suffer in silence, with no one knowing what they're going through."
Samaher’s final message is one of resilient hope and pride, born from a life of overcoming obstacles. "I want to say to any woman who has suffered in her life: don’t give up. Be the support for yourself first, and then you can be the support for your children. Don’t give up to obstacles. I make obstacles a ladder for me so I can climb it step by step."
