Wejdan Jarrah manages psychosocial support programs for Syrian refugees in Jordan. She teaches workshops on empathy, communication skills, and non-violence to help refugees cope with trauma and rebuild relationships. The conflict in Syria has caused widespread trauma among refugees, making Jarrah's work providing counseling and peace-building important. Though challenging, Jarrah finds meaning and purpose in helping traumatized refugees heal and see positive change. She hopes to continue this work globally and ensure children impacted by the Syrian war receive education and protection.

1. CANADIAN LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF PARTNERSHIP FALL 2014 3
Wejdan Jarrah is using her passion
for helping others to spread a
culture of peace.
Jarrah, 32, lives with her family in
Irbid, a town in dusty northern Jordan.
She is fascinated by psychosocial work,
which has two key goals: help people
cope with traumatic events and rebuild
healthy relationships. She fulfills this
passion as manager of the Lutheran
World Federation’s Psychosocial Support
program in the Za’atari refugee camp.
She even likes to spend her spare time
reading about psychology.
“I like these topics, especially how to
be positive and how to reduce tension.”
THE NEED FOR COUNSELING
IS GREAT
Psychosocial work is all too necessary as
the conflict in Syria rages on. Symptoms
of trauma are widespread among refugees.
In Jordan, the arrival of hundreds of
thousands of Syrians is a huge strain on
the impoverished desert country.
Tensions run high as a result, and
Jarrah found that peace-building was
needed. She works with her colleagues on
three projects for Syrian and Jordanian
youth and young adults, teaching
workshops on empathy, communication
skills and living in peace.
Twenty people on her 23-member
team inside Za’atari are Syrian refugees
themselves.
“It’s a very hard task because you have
to train traumatized people to take care
of traumatized people. I was struggling a
lot in the beginning, but now…I love
that there is a difference between when
they began with us and now.”
HOPES FOR THE FUTURE
It’s Jarrah’s dream to continue her work
in different areas of the world, offering
her help to people in need.
In the meantime, the need is still great
in Jordan. She wants Canadians to know
that the children of Syria need support
in education and protection from
violence and exploitation.
“I can say that the future of Syria now
is at risk because generations of children
cannot find safe space and cannot meet
their needs.”
by Jennifer Clark and Heather
Patterson
Peace-building brings healing
to Syrian refugees
Wejdan Jarrah: Psychosocial Support Manager, Jordan
Wejdan Jarrah is helping Syrian youth heal from the trauma of war. (photos: Freya Morales/LWF (top); LWF)
“I like these topics,
especially how to be
positive and reduce
tension.”