Marah*, 11, Syria

I wish to grow up and become a teacher. The foremost thing that I dream of… I dream of becoming a teacher and to teach the second grade.

Marah, 11, was first displaced from her home in Syria due to conflict, and later again when earthquakes struck the region. She now lives with her mother and sister in a camp for internally displaced people in the north-west part of the country. 

The repeated displacement deeply affected her life, especially her education. Marah, who is now in 4th grade, had to stop going to school for nearly a year. She says losing access to learning was one of the hardest parts of everything she has experienced. 

“I loved studying a lot, but I was deprived of it due to the bombings and earthquakes,” she says. 

After the earthquakes, the family moved into a tent in the camp. The conditions are difficult; muddy roads in winter, cold mornings, and fog make the journey to school challenging. Even simple routines were disrupted, and fear became part of daily life. 

Despite these hardships, things began to change when Marah joined learning activities supported in the camp. Save the Children, together with partner organization Bonyan and other organizations, helped convert repurposed tents into informal classrooms so children could continue their education safely. 

For Marah, returning to learning also meant reconnecting with friends and rediscovering confidence. She participates in lessons, plays in the school garden, and engages in educational and psychosocial support activities. Her teacher encourages participation and play, helping make the space feel safe and supportive again. 

In this environment, her talent for poetry began to emerge. Surrounded by friends and stability in routine, Marah started memorizing and reciting poems with growing confidence. 

“The school is good,” she says. “There is a garden where we play, and our teacher plays with us a lot.” 

Even with challenges still present, muddy roads, lack of supplies, and difficult living conditions, Marah is determined to keep learning. She dreams of becoming a teacher herself one day, teaching mathematics to younger students. 

“I want to become a teacher,” she says. “I love mathematics and I want to teach it.” 

*Name changed for protection. 

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