“Those who long for what they cannot have often value it the most,” says Hassan Ammar, a 51-year-old Syrian who has found new purpose in volunteering with children at Al Azraq camp.
Hassan moved to Jordan with his wife in 2015, after fleeing Syria due to the destruction and insecurity brought by war. He had worked at the Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources in Syria, leading a stable life with his wife. However, the journey to Jordan, where they arrived in Al Azraq camp, was not easy. “The first few months in the camp were tough. We had nothing to do,” Hassan reflected.
“There’s a forgotten struggle refugees face—the fact that the majority of refugees living in a camp have no sense of purpose. It’s true that we are provided with the essentials—safety, food, and shelter—but living without purpose is difficult. I was fortunate enough to find mine through volunteering with the children at Al Azraq camp to serve my community.” Hassan said.
The emptiness that Hassan felt as a refugee went unrecognised by many, and it was during this time that he felt the absence of children in his life most acutely. Hassan and his wife had always wanted to have kids, but they never had any.
As the months passed, Hassan started to feel depressed. “That’s when I decided to volunteer at the camp, although the list was full,” he said. He was lucky to find an opening when another refugee took a month off. Hassan began volunteering for a month, working with children. “Children have a way of adding colour to life. I’ve always dreamed of having kids, so volunteering with them felt like I was fulfilling one of my wishes.”
Hassan joined the Riadati programme, which aims to improve the Mental Health and Psychosocial well-being of children affected by displacement and their host communities through Sport for Protection and Peace based activities. “Through this programme, I felt like I was not only helping the children but also helping myself heal. Giving back has been so rewarding. I have a sense of purpose again.”
However, volunteering wasn’t without its challenges. “I struggled with illiteracy. I had never had the chance to properly learn how to read and write,” Hassan said. But instead of giving up, he enrolled in courses to improve his skills. With determination, he passed the course and became more effective in his volunteer role.
