Masa* speaks in a quiet voice, carrying the weight of heavy years, “I had no one, I was facing everything alone. Just me and my children”.
She is a Syrian woman, born in 1985. She arrived in Lebanon in 2013, fleeing the war. Masa* had completed her degree in French literature back home, but after being displaced, she was never able to work. Today, she lives in Jabal El-Beddawi in Tripoli. She carries the full responsibility of raising and providing for her three children, alone, after separating from her husband, an abusive man whose violence left deep marks on her body and soul. “He used to humiliate me, yell at me. I was so weak. And life was nothing”, she expressed with deep sorrow, as though reliving years that never really left her.
Masa’s* health has suffered as a result of the violence she endured. She experienced multiple strokes and suffers from lasting weakness in her right hand, which prevents her from working. She also deals with recurring anxiety attacks and depression. As for her children, only one of them is currently in school. The others had to leave due to financial hardship. Even her eldest daughter dropped out to help care for her mother when her health weakened.
“I was depressed and I couldn’t stand myself, I couldn’t stand my kids”, she said with a broken voice. “I used to yell and snap at them. I wasn’t aware of what I was doing”. It was as if she were speaking to an older version of herself, one she didn’t choose, but was shaped by pain and survival.
A turning point came from an unexpected encounter, which opened the door to better days. While walking through her neighborhood in Jabal El-Beddawi, Masa* met a case worker from the Protection Team at Basmeh & Zeitooneh. She shared her story, and soon after, was enrolled in a project led by the team. This project provides life-saving shelter and protection support to 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).
“The first thing I received was psychosocial support sessions, and I started to understand myself. I started to understand my children”, she said with gratitude in her voice. She also received positive parenting sessions, and the way she describes her transformation is nothing short of a rebirth.
“I used to scream at my children. Now we sit and talk. I play with them. I do the emotion and relaxation exercises with them, the ones I learned in the sessions”, she says with a warm smile and love in her voice.
Through the project, Masa* was referred to an organisation to receive sewing courses. It had always been a skill she loved, but never had the chance to develop professionally. “I dream of buying a sewing machine to work from home. To support myself and my kids. I don’t want to keep waiting for help”, she shares with real hope, as if she could finally see a way forward.
Her support didn’t stop there. She was referred to a medical center for regular physical therapy to regain strength in her injured hand. It’s been a month and a half since she began her sessions, and while progress has been made, she still needs ongoing care and treatment.
Masa* also received a small cash grant through the project to help with essential needs. “The first time I got financial support, I bought food and clothes for my kids,” she said, her voice steady and full of emotion.
Today, the Protection Team sees a woman transformed. Masa* laughs again, she engages with others, and she has made new friends. More than that, she is now encouraging other women around her to speak up, to face their pain, and to break their silence. “If any woman is experiencing abuse, don’t stay silent. Speak up, ask for help, be strong, and trust yourself”, she says with courage and conviction.
And for her children, she has only one heartfelt wish: “Take care of yourselves. Be strong. I don’t want you to suffer the way I did”.
Masa* is one of many women who have faced harsh conditions, displacement, and isolation, yet continue to rise with strength and dignity. Her story is a reminder that with the right support, healing is possible, and hope can take root even after the darkest of days.
Written by: Ibrahim Al-Housseiny
*Names have been changed to protect identities