"I want an honorable life for my daughters," said Abdulfattah, sitting across from me at Donuts Factory in Amman. His daughters' future was the driving force behind many of his life decisions. To understand the complexity of this statement, we must start from the beginning.

 

From Ibb, Sana'a, Yemen, Abdulfattah made a living by washing cars while his wife raised their seven children. Because the parents were not educated, the desire for their kids to go to school was undeniable.

 

In 2014, when the Houthi militia group began conquering southern Sana'a, Abdulfattah's son was wanted by the Houthis. The family of nine quickly relocated to their grandmother's house in fear that their home would be bombed at any time. As fire and bullets rampaged through the air, their neighborhood was quickly destroyed.

 

"For the children's sake, we decided to leave," Abdulfattah said.

 

Selling all of their furniture, jewelry, and even taking out loans, the family was able to fly to Amman in 2018. With no legal working rights, the children had to take on the responsibility of paying the bills. The son's paycheck covered housing, and the eldest daughter's paycheck paid for food. This did not come without danger, as the son was caught and temporarily placed in jail. Through neighbors back in Yemen who also fled to Amman, the family was able to find housing.

 

The UN supports the other five children in attending school, which is one of the greatest blessings for this family. Though the parents cannot experience freedom, the opportunity for their children to go to school opens up their opportunities and futures.

 

"We don't have freedom, we can't work, we are just refugees. We are safe but not living," expressed Abdulfattah.

 

Abdulfattah prays for doors to open for them to go to Canada or the United States so his daughters can have a seamless stream of opportunities.