Noor* began her story with a heavy voice. She shared it, holding back tears, “I was in nothingness… half-alive”.
A widow and a 44-year-old mother of six, Nour* lost her husband two years ago. Since then, her life has turned upside down. She used to work in cleaning to support her family, but after her husband’s death, she had to stop. The burdens grew, the debts piled up, and things got so bad that the shopkeeper kept her ID card as collateral. Without it, she couldn’t work or even register her daughter in school.
But it wasn’t just the financial strain. Nour* was also drowning in emotional pain. She says, “I suffer from nerve issues and depression… I don’t like life. I’ve never seen a good day. I live only because I haven’t died yet”.
In the middle of all this darkness, a small light appeared. A few years ago, Nour* registered her name in a project driven by the protection team at Basmeh & Zeitooneh. This project provides life-saving shelter and protection support for conflict-affected and at-risk Syrian refugees and Lebanese communities. It is funded by the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM) and implemented in partnership with Première Urgence Internationale (PUI).
She didn’t expect much. But one day, the team reached out, and that call marked the beginning of real change. “The first thing I received was a small cash grant, but to me, it felt like getting my breath back”.
With that support, Nour* was able to repay the shopkeeper, reclaim her ID, enroll her youngest daughter in school, and make small repairs at home. She also received psychosocial support sessions and guidance that helped her face life’s challenges with more strength and understanding.
Her daughter is going to school now, and Nour* is proud of that, but the pain hasn’t left. “When she sees me crying, she stops eating. She gets worried about me”, she said sadly.
Still, Nour* remains standing; she believes in the value of work and the strength of women to support their families. “There’s no shame in a woman working to support her family, to stand on her feet. I wish I could find a job, pay off my debts, live in safety with my kids, and feed them good food, as any mother would”. She speaks calmly, with a sense of quiet hope, as if she knows that her sun will rise again.
Today, Nour* has no gas, no washing machine, and not even a carpet on the floor. But she has something stronger, an unbreakable will. Her plans for the future are simple, but clear:
“If I receive more support, I’ll start by fixing the windows before winter. I’ll buy food, pay for my kids’ school transportation, and settle my debts. And I’ll keep looking for work, so I can build a better life for me and my children”.
Despite everything, Nour* teaches her children to hold onto honesty and dignity, “I tell my daughter never to take what isn’t hers. Not to lie. Not to do wrong. I always say, “I wish God could take years from my life and give them to you. I’ve given everything I have for them”, she said with hope and resilience.
To other women living in similar hardship, Nour* offers one message, “Patience is the key. Just say ‘Ya Rab’ (My God). Patience, then patience, then more patience”. And at the end of her story, she makes one simple request: “Please, stay in touch with me, so I can stay standing, and keep going”.
Nour’s* story is a reminder that behind every request for help there’s a life waiting to heal, a mother fighting for her children, and a future that can be rebuilt, with just a little support and a lot of hope.
Written by: Ibrahim Al-Housseiny
*Names have been changed to protect identities
