Success story: Restoring Resilience
Hajja Sameeha lives with her husband without their children in Zuf village after fleeing their village in Jebel Azwiyeh due to the hostilities. They reside in a semi-dilapidated tent that doesn’t prevent cold, rain, or floods. She is in her seventies and suffers from diabetes causing her diabetic foot complications. She lost a toe due to her chronic condition. Meanwhile, Haj Naasan, aged 85, grapples with a disability in his left hand. They live in poor and harsh living conditions without a breadwinner or a supporter to help them cope with this deteriorating situation.
With sorrowful eyes filled with the weight of present pain and the bitterness of an uncertain future, Hajja Sameeha met the HRO team during the flood response project that targeted one of the Zuf camps, where living as older people, especially those with chronic illnesses who require special care and continuous control, poses significant challenges.
The HRO team engaged in conversation with them, during which Hajja Sameeha expressed her suffering, saying, “I have diabetes, I cannot afford to visit a doctor or purchase medication, and my condition requires constant control.”.
Haj Naasan described the tents’ condition during winter, saying, “Living in a tent is very difficult. When it rains, the tent gets flooded, and all our belongings get wet, worsening our health condition. We need a new tent cover instead of the worn-out, heating materials, and blankets. None of the organizations providing these services have visited us so far.”
HRO field teams responded to this family through repeated visits and sessions, conducting initial assessments. The team identified the urgent needs of Haj Naasan and his wife, prioritizing some of the older people’s needs in this camp to work on providing as much assistance as possible.
To the best of their ability, with the help of Help Age International, the HRO teams embarked on meeting the needs and alleviating the suffering of the camp residents by distributing heating materials, tents, insulators, and winter blankets and repairing flood-damaged tents. Additionally, HRO provided first psychological aid sessions and referred the affected individuals to the necessary services.
Through our collaboration with Help Age International, HRO has conducted various services and activities that have profoundly impacted many families and individuals in need. Today, the story of Hajja Sameeha and Haj Naasan radiates hope as they experienced a remarkable improvement in their circumstances; their immediate and pressing needs have been fulfilled, and their emotional well-being has been profoundly uplifted. Their journey mirrors that of other families who have discovered solace and assistance, breathing new life into their existence.
The flood response project implemented by HRO through HAI, aimed to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable residents, respond to their needs, and prevent the deterioration of their physical and mental health, while strengthening their connection with their surroundings.
