When Mohammed* began attending a Save the Children kindergarten class three times a week at Za'atari Refugee Camp, he learned to express himself and overcome his anger. He was able to start being a normal kid again.
Mohammed's Story
At the tender age of 6, Mohammed* had already suffered more tragedy than many of us can imagine. His family was forced to leave their home in Syria after living through over three years of war and conflict. The final straw for them was a bomb that killed several family members – including Mohammed's 4-year-old sister.
"We left our country when my sister was killed. A splinter bomb hit the ground. We ran to my uncle and screamed 'Uncle please wake up,' but he didn’t. The next morning, they found my sister's body."
Mohammed and his family stayed in Syria for a few days after that, to celebrate the life of his sister and uncle. After this, Mohammed's mother, Salam*, decided it was time to leave. She wanted her children to be able to live a normal life.
"Everything changed. My children didn't play anymore. They refused to eat," Salam said. "They've been deprived of a childhood. They couldn't hang out or have fun anymore. They no longer played the usual children's games. The children would carry sticks as if they were rifles. They played with mud balls, using them as bombs. We left Syria because of death."
The journey to safety was very difficult. The roads were full of rocks and were flooded. It was a long trip, but they eventually made it to Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan.
When Mohammed first arrived in Jordan, it was hard for him to communicate his feelings. He was angry, sad and afraid, and he was too young to fully understand why. He started to act out. Then he began attending a Save the Children kindergarten class three times a week. He learned to express himself and overcome his anger. He was able to start being a normal kid again.
"Now in the camp, I like to play with friends. I go to the kindergarten and play on the slides. I like to go to the [Save the Children] child-friendly spaces and play on the swings. When I grow up, I want to be a doctor, to help people and treat them when they're sick."
*Names have been changed for protection
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