Amal's Morning | Refugee Week 2025
Learn more about the struggles refugees face this Refugee Week.
Amal's Morning
Amal wakes up at 7am. She looks over at her daughter Lina, sleeping on the cold floor beside her. She runs her hand through Lina’s hair. She wishes she could protect her.
Lina will be awake soon, and Amal will braid her hair, just like her own mother used to do. It's something so small, but it’s also tradition. A way of holding on to normalcy.
Amal looks up at the ceiling. It's still leaking. She hears children coughing around her. She wishes she could protect them all. They remind her of the children she used to teach back home. She hopes they’re doing ok.
All the mothers around her hold their children tight, even while sleeping. She knows the feeling – they will always do their best to protect their children, even after losing everything. Her eyes fill with tears as she wonders what happened to her sister and little nephew. She hopes they made it somewhere safe. She can’t bear to think about them for too long – the pain takes over her entire body. But at the same time, she can’t stop. They're the only family she has left.
Her stomach rumbles, interrupting her thoughts. She clutches it, trying to cover the noise. What else can she do when food is so little? She prays that there’ll be more food today. She doesn’t want Lina to go hungry.
Last week, the camp ran low on clean water. That was hard, especially when Amal had spent hours in line. She hopes that won’t happen again. She thinks back to her beautiful home, wondering if it still stands. She would do anything to be back in her own house with all her family. Her heart breaks again. She never thought life would look like this.
Amal sees Lina turn around, her eyes dark and tired. She knows she probably didn’t sleep well – again. She leans over and kisses her daughter’s forehead as they wake up for the day ahead, not knowing what it will bring.
Refugees are living these stories every day, doing their best to get through. This Refugee Week, remind them they’re not alone. Stand with them, share your blessings and give what you can today.
* This is a representative story, showcasing the challenges refugees face.