Through sickness and through health
Published: July 25, 2024
AMMAN, Jordan — After climbing up the five flights of stairs of an apartment complex, we were invited in by Hadijah and her cousin, Abass. Hadijah’s daughter was flying around the room with her messy curly hair under walls decorated with Arabic letters.
Upon arriving in Jordan, Hadijah and Abass were eager to find jobs. However, lacking eligibility for formal employment, they had to work under-the-table. Hadijah provides English and math lessons for 2 dinars while Abass tirelessly searches for work.
The family from Hodeida, Yemen, is composed of Hadijah, her four sisters, her husband, and her cousin Abass. Before coming to Jordan, their lives were spent with expectancy and normalcy.
“Life was beautiful,” Hadijah explained.
Hadijah was an English and math teacher, and Abass was a mechanic. Hadijah relished in her independent success, as she was about to buy her own car and house until 2011, when the family noticed a shift in atmosphere. Bombings became indiscriminate, targeting hospitals and schools.
According to the UNHCR, over 4.5 million Yemenis have been internally displaced. While most people from Hodeida fled to Hadramout, Hadijah's family decided to leave the country. To afford the journey, Hadijah and her husband sold their car and expensive jewelry. By 2016, the UNHCR began implementing visas for specific needs. Hadijah’s husband and sister were both granted medical visas, ensuring entry into Jordan.
Hadijah recalls earning her first five dinars, describing it as “lifesaving.” Those five dinars enabled her to afford a taxi to the UNHCR to ask for assistance. The family's main financial concerns rest in the poor health of Abass and Hadijah’s sister. They needed assistance from the UN to receive generic medicine and monthly injections.
While no members of the family directly died from the war, Abass lost his father after he came to Jordan for surgery and passed two days later for unexplained reasons. Hadijah almost looked death in the eyes; her youngest child was born prematurely at six months in the midst of COVID-19. After 17 days in the hospital, the baby survived. Hadijah draws inspiration from her children, who have endured challenges most adults will never face. She prays for a future of peace and protection for her family.
To add to the struggles, while Hadijah’s four kids can attend school, the registration process is lengthy and only permits them to study in evening classes with other refugee students, typically taught by less-experienced teachers. Through direct sources of family in Yemen, the family stays updated on the situation in their homeland.
Despite the adversity, Hadijah and her family continue to hope for a better future.
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