A family torn apart by war, relies on UNHCR this Ramadan

As guardians for their three orphaned grandchildren, Abu and Um Safwan depend on UNHCR cash assistance to survive.

Abu Safwan is pictured with his two grandchildren Majid, 13 (L) and Ammar, 12 (R). Both are orphans having lost their parents during the conflict in Syria. They now live with their elderly grandparents.

By Lilly Carlisle  |  10 May 2021

Back in Syria, Ramadan was a time for celebration. For family, good food and charity. Now as refugees in Jordan, Abu Safwan and his family now rely on that charity they once held great pride in giving.  

Originally from Homs, Abu Safwan longingly recalls the holy month. A baker by trade and former amateur boxer, now aged 87, he says that all he has left is memories of the past. 

“Safwan, Firas, Nashwan, Ahmed, Mohammad, Omar and my four daughters, all of them used to come to the family house. They spent the night and we would cook Mahashi or Magloubeh, or they would each bring a dish with them. Firas used to go in the morning to collect chickpeas and tahina, so that we could prepare a big breakfast together.” 

Out of his six sons, only two now survive. The other four were victims of the conflict in Syria, as well as beset by health problems and a tragic car accident. Abu Safwan and his wife have consequently assumed guardianship for their three orphaned grandchildren, Majid, Ammar and Mahmoud. But as their grandparents age, the three boys have had to take on responsibilities beyond their years.  

“I consider them my mother and father. They did everything for me. They hosted me and took care of me. Now I try and help them,” says Ammar who often does the shopping on behalf of his grandmother.  

Ammar and Majd play football outside their house. Their aunt Lubna, who also lives in the house with her own family looks on. She plays an important role in helping her aging parents look after the boys.

Despite these challenges, Abu Safwan still gets up every morning to go and open the local mosque in their neighborhood in North Amman. “when I wake up, I walk to the mosque, pray the morning prayers and then stand at the door distributing masks and prayer mats for those who don’t have them. If I have spare money, I sometimes go and buy bread to give out to the needy.” 

Abu Safwan is pictured at home in Amman

It is this sense of giving to the ones who need the most which Abu Safwan believes is important no matter their financial situation or where they come from, and is one that he has tried to instill in his grandchildren. Ammar, for example, says that if he receives some pocket money, that he will put it in the donation box at the mosque. 

But in reality, there is little this family has to spare. Reliant on UNHCR’s monthly cash assistance, after paying their rent Um Safwan explains that she barely has enough left over to put a proper meal on the table; they only eat meat once a week. With living conditions also deteriorating as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – almost half of refugees surveyed by UNHCR in Jordan said they weren’t able to meet their basic needs – the family remain among the most vulnerable families in Jordan. 

“Sometimes I just wish we could go back in time, to back in Syria and the whole family around us,” says Um Safwan.  

This Ramadan though they are just focusing on getting through the day to day. With Eid approaching, Ammar has his heart set on hopefully getting a new bicycle “to play with my friends and have adventures in the neighborhood.” 

Every year, UNHCR appeals to the public during Ramadan to help raise awareness and funds for refugees and internally displaced people in need. Donations received as Zakat, Sadaqah, or general giving can ease the burden for forcibly displaced families that are away from home and their loved ones. Money received goes directly to support refugee families supported by cash assistance in Jordan. You can donate here.