Nedaa’s Story of Hope and Determination

Story by: Bashar Al-Ja’bari

Nedaa is a 20-year-old Syrian refugee who moved to Jordan with her family in 2013 after fleeing the war in her country Needa is an incentive-based volunteer at UN Women’s Al-Muwaqqar Oasis Centre, funded by the European Union through the Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian crisis, the Madad Fund, and in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development, where she joined the tailoring programme to pursue tailoring as a future profession. Her goal is to make money, secure a decent life for herself and her daughter, and continue her university studies.

UN Women Oasis centres which have been operating in refugee camps since 2012 and in host communities since 2017 have evolved over time to become multi-sectoral services centres focusing on needs-based cash-for-work programming and skills development with strong links to protection awareness targeting the most vulnerable women and girls, while also engaging men and boys in dialogue and mobilization for gender and social equality.

“I passed my Tawjihi exams and earned a certificate but was not able to enrol at the university afterwards due to my financial condition. One of the reasons why I am here is to continue my studies and get a bachelor’s degree in law or languages. Right now, the money I earn from the centre helps me buy many things for me and my daughter; I am able to pay for transportation and many home necessities.”

“I was encouraged to enrol here because tailoring is an interesting profession to me. I am very passionate about pursuing it in the future, to become independent and make a stable income. What also encouraged me is that the centre is run and attended by women only, making me feel more comfortable. Everyone here, the management and facilitators, is nice to me, and they help and listen to us whenever needed.”

After Nedaa’s enrolment ends at the centre, she plans to start a tailoring business at home or work at a clothing factory as a tailor.

The Oasis Model has notably enhanced its reach, establishing a total of 22 centres, and significantly empowering around 90,000 individuals directly and indirectly since its inception, predominantly Syrian refugees, and vulnerable Jordanian women, including a substantial number of people with disabilities. Results from 2023 show that the Oasis programme has significantly improved access to income for participants in host communities, with 88% experiencing income for the first time in their life.

“I recommended the centre to many people within my family and friends. I am sure they will have a good experience, similar to the one I had here. They will learn many new skills, meet new people from different backgrounds and ages, and gain an abundance of knowledge in various life aspects.”

“After my enrolment here, I became more independent; I can run my own errands and go places by myself. I am also stronger and can communicate better with people; I was very shy before.”

Other than tailoring, Nedaa visits her colleagues in the hairstyling sometimes, where they exchanged knowledge and learned new skills from each other. She also attended weekly protection and childcare sessions that helped her deal with her little daughter.

Nedaa advises all women never to be afraid to try new things and take part in new experiences. She also recommends that they apply for courses and programmes to learn new things to help themselves become stronger and capable of being productive within their communities. “If you don’t work to achieve your dreams, no one will achieve them for you.”