From Loss to Livelihood: Maram’s* path to Self‑Reliance | World Vision
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Before the war, Maram*, 49, from Northwest Syria (NWS), lived a stable and grounded life. She shared a modest home with her four children and spent her days helping her parents work in their land. “We were a family that relied on each other,” she says. “We worked hard and appreciated the life we had.” 

That sense of security was shattered when a bombing struck the family home, killing 11 members of her family, her mother, brothers, and children from her extended family. “Everything stopped in that moment,” Maram* recalls. “We searched for days, and some of them were never found.”

Like many families seeking safety, Maram* went through multiple displacements. And life became defined by scarcity, restricted movement, and uncertainty. Yet even in the most difficult moments, Maram* remained determined to rebuild.

“I knew I had to keep going,” she says. “I had to leave space for tomorrow, even when everything felt closed.”

Maram* at the women and girls’ safe space

With that belief, Maram* focused on her children’s education, supporting her daughters to complete secondary school and helping them continue their education. She believed that education was essential to recovery. “Education helps people stand again,” she said.

That strength began to take a clearer shape when Maram* joined the women and girls’ safe space run by World Vision Syria Response (WVSR) and funded by the Irish Aid in NWS. There, she found more than services; she found respect. She enrolled in vocational training designed to build women’s skills and pathways to income. “I was not seen as a victim,” she says. “I was treated as someone who could learn, work, and contribute.”

The training equipped Maram* with practical skills and the confidence to use them. Soon after, she began a home‑based sewing activity, starting with small repair orders and simple designs for neighbours. The income was modest, but it was reliable, and it was hers. "I don’t want to rely on aid forever,” Maram* says. “Even if it is slow, earning from my own work changes how I see myself.”

Today, Maram’s* progress is reflected in everyday details, a simple schedule, a notebook tracking orders, and plans for materials. The impact extends beyond income; her confidence has strengthened, her household stability has improved, and education remains a priority for her family.

Maram’s* journey reflects the wider impact of safe spaces and skills‑based programming that support dignity, resilience, and self‑reliance. Investing in women’s skills generates a ripple effect: modest yet steady income, restored confidence, and renewed support for education within the family. Helping sustain these safe spaces and trainings simply means offering another woman the chance to start again.

Maram* looks ahead with quiet determination. “I will never forget what we lost,” she says. “But today I hold a profession in my hands. Step by step, I am rebuilding my life.”

Maram* building her skills through WVSR vocational training.
Maram* building her skills through WVSR vocational training.

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