13 years into the Syrian civil war, it is difficult to comprehend the depth of suffering our Syrian neighbors have endured. If you were one of the less than 1% of refugees given the opportunity to be resettled in a new country after being forced to flee your home, how would you start over in a place where nothing is familiar? How would you guide your children? What would you need to rekindle hope—not only for yourself but for your entire family?
Our Syrian friend Lina* was born in a refugee camp in Jordan in 2015, four years into the Syrian civil war. In September 2021, after a lengthy and difficult resettlement process, Lina and her family finally left the camp and arrived in Raleigh, NC. Shortly after this arduous journey to safety and without any exposure to the English language, six-year-old Lina began her first day of school ever.
Confronted with an entirely new culture and language, Lina found support in RHP’s Homework Help program. After school, she faithfully worked on her homework and literacy skills with RHP staff and volunteers. In her third year of school, a volunteer reading intervention specialist regularly met with Lina during Homework Help to focus on reading comprehension and phonics, resulting in substantial progress to her language proficiency.
Now in fourth grade, Lina’s hope has been rekindled. She excitedly enters Homework Help, asking our staff for specific books she’s been wanting to read and spends her afternoons eagerly reading alongside her two closest friends, also refugees from other countries.
The road ahead may not be easy for Lina, but it’s filled with hope and surrounded by a circle of support. While we celebrate Lina’s resilience and growth, we also feel the weight of knowing that global crises continue. More families will arrive seeking refuge, and Refugee Hope Partners is ready to walk alongside them as pockets of hope are rekindled in their lives.
*pseudonym used for participant privacy and protection.