11/03/2026
Meet Huda.
Losing her teenaged daughter to cancer, just two months after the diagnosis, left Huda devastated. “I was depressed and frustrated,” she said. “I ignored my responsibilities. I couldn’t even love my other children. I stopped cooking for them.”
Huda, a Syrian refugee living in Irbid in Jordan, had already lost so much: her home, her country, a life built with hard work and dedication. The strain of grief was also compounded by the needs of her son, who has a disability.
“I couldn’t manage the situation,” she explained. “I felt I couldn’t carry on.”
As a refugee living in the area, her name was in Tahfeez’s database, and she was invited to join a psychosocial support session for refugee women.
“In the sessions, I started expressing my feelings and learning how to deal with depression,” she said.
One of the most helpful activities for Huda was making crafts and accessories with her children.
“It was very good for me,” she said. “It helped me to express my feelings. Even my son with a disability came once, and it was good for him too.”
She remembers another session that focused on self-care.
“It helped me learn how to sleep well, how to eat healthy food, how to be self-confident, and how to deal with anxious feelings,” she said.
After several weeks, Huda began to notice a change.
Across communities affected by conflict and displacement, many women carry the weight of grief while continuing to care for their families and rebuild their lives.
As war and conflict rages on in so many places in the world and people live under the constant threat of bombing, we are calling attention to the profound impact of conflict and displacement on women’s mental health and wellbeing and honouring the strength of the women in our network who are working to heal and begin again, for themselves and their families.
