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“Although life can be extremely difficult, I want to say to Arab women to stay strong and keep their faith. We can survive any circumstances we live through, but we do not always have to do it on our own.
Intisar Foundation has helped me heal and live a more Peaceful life.”
Amouna is a Palestenian woman living with her husband in Shatila refugee camp in Beirut. She does not have children of her own, but she has helped raise her husband’s four children, who are all married and living independently now. Currently, neither her nor her husband are working due to health issues.
When recalling the difficulties she experienced in her life, Amouna is at a loss for words. She starts by explaining that, despite all the hardships of being a Palestinian refugee woman in Lebanon, she has always wanted to live life to the fullest and find happiness where possible. “My life was beautiful, I was able to handle anything, but then my husband, who is older than me, had a stroke and became sick,” she says. “I would spend days in the hospital, and eventually the stress led to my own health issues as well.”
The health problems she experienced with her family made it extremely difficult to sustain a life. Soon, financial problems started to pile up. The economic situation in Lebanon was worsening and she had the full burden of taking care of her husband and herself in the midst of degrading circumstances.
“There were times where I did not have electricity or internet,” she says. “I would struggle to be able to buy our medicines. Help was drying up as no one could spare anything to support us. Only the mercy of God kept me going. During this time, my mental health suffered greatly, I felt like I was suffocating and depressed. I had to be strong for my husband, who had no one to depend on but me. The atmosphere of stress and worry never left the house for a minute. Sometimes, I would get angry and frustrated and I would fight with my husband. This only made things worse for both of us.”
Amouna first heard about the Intisar Foundation’s drama therapy programme in Shatila refugee camp through the National Institution of Social Care and Vocational Training. She says that she was intrigued to get out of the house and try a cultural activity that would help her distress and focus on herself. As the sessions progressed, Amouna found herself more comfortable, especially by being surrounded by women like her.
“Talking about these experiences of moving from one city to another, from one camp to another, just to stay alive, was like removing a burden off my chest. I had not realised it weighing me down so much. The sense of comfort I felt after speaking about that during one of the sessions was unmatched.”
She started to speak about incidents in her life that had never been brought up before, like watching missiles being dropped on houses during the war or having to flee from one refugee camp to another with her family just to survive. “It is like being a refugee twice over, I never realised how much these memories had lived inside me, how much space they took up,” she says. “But talking about these experiences of moving from one city to another, from one camp to another, just to stay alive, was like removing a burden off my chest. I had not realised it weighing me down so much. The sense of comfort I felt after speaking about that during one of the sessions was unmatched.”
By opening up about her past, Amouna found that she was able to feel at ease and overcome unresolved issues that had been impacting her daily life and relationship with her husband.
“Being able to speak in front of these women was a new form of freedom,” she says. “I never realised what level of Peace could be brought to my heart just by speaking about my past experiences. Even though at first, I was worried people would talk and my husband would hear about it, I still felt comfortable. I felt relieved when I attended the Intisar Foundation drama therapy sessions and when I saw the smiles on the faces of the women.”
“Even though my husband and I are still struggling financially, our relationship improved. I would come home after the sessions, full of energy and in a good mood. We are able to reach agreements and leave the rest up to God, realising that we are both already doing the best we possibly can. Although life can be extremely difficult, I want to say to Arab women to stay strong and keep their faith. We can survive any circumstances we live through, but we do not always have to do it on our own. Intisar Foundation has helped me heal and live a more Peaceful life.”
“I never realised what level of Peace could be brought to my heart just by speaking about my past experiences. Even though at first, I was worried people would talk and my husband would hear about it, I still felt comfortable. I felt relieved when I attended the Intisar Foundation drama therapy sessions and when I saw the smiles on the faces of the women.”
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