High Five to Life

When the somewhat worn wooden door on the third floor of the residential complex in Amman opens, a tall woman stands before us. Rawan's white robe stands out radiantly against the dark room behind her. Her son Mahmoud kneels directly in front of her. Nobody gets past him without a resounding "high five". Hammed, as he is affectionately known, gurgles with joy every time he is high-fived and grins ear to ear - just like his mother.

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Despite the challenges that Rawan, her husband and their five children face on a daily basis, the mood is cheerful. But it wasn't always like this. Financial hardship, illness and caring for their seven-year-old child Mahmoud, who, like his two older siblings Lama, 8, and Jamal, 12, is severely hearing-impaired, put a huge strain on the family. "I was desperate because I couldn't talk to my children," says Rawan. "Lama and Jamal learnt sign language at their school for the hearing impaired, but I didn't know what they were trying to tell me. How am I supposed to raise my children if they don't understand me?" This almost broke Rawan and the whole family.

The turning point for the family was when Medair stepped in to help, leveraging several measures within the Social Protection Programme. Medair supported Rawan to engage in a sign language course, which steadily reduced her frustration and made communication within the family easier. Rawan proudly shows off the signs she has already learnt. She raises her hand and folds her ring and middle fingers downwards, so that they touch the palm of her hand. "That means ‘I love you’," she explains. Somewhat embarrassed, Lama and Jamal return the token of love.

Unlike his siblings, Mahmoud not only suffers from a hearing impairment, but also from a severe physical disability and epilepsy. He is therefore unable to walk. He slides around the apartment on his hands, knees and the arches of his feet. The bruises on the most exposed areas are deep black. "I often have to take Mahmoud to the doctor. As I have a lot of pain in my back myself, these visits were always an agony for me," says Rawan. "But thanks to Medair’s help, I can now take him to the doctor," she says, pointing to the empty wheelchair in the center of the living room. "At home though, he still prefers to be on his knees," laughs Rawan, gently stroking Mahmoud's head.

As in most of the cases Medair supports in Jordan, Rawan's family has enormous financial difficulties and struggles to pay for rent, medication, schooling, and food. There is not enough money. Because the family was behind with the rent and electricity bill, they were threatened with eviction by the landlord. "They simply turned off the electricity. Medair's cash assistance helped us to pay off some of the debt," says Rawan.

But Rawan saved the best for last. She joined a sewing course with one of Medair's partners, JHCO, where she learned how to sew and create beautiful pieces. Her wish is to sell them and support her family. "Medair enabled me to train as a seamstress," she says, briefly disappearing into the bedroom while the children's favourite cartoon is still playing on the TV in the living room. Returning, she holds up a dress, "I sewed this a fortnight ago," she says, running her hands over the fabric to emphasise her work. "Look at the belt and the embroidery on it." You can see her delight at the benevolent reactions of the guests. "I also want to contribute to providing a better income for my family," she says with a determined smile. "

Thanks to Medair's support, joy and hope have returned to Rawan's family. "We still have a lot of problems, but together we can do it," says Rawan. A high five to that.

With support from the German Federal Foreign Office, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and private donors, Medair provides cash assistance and case management in Jordan to refugees and vulnerable Jordanians.  

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This content was produced with resources gathered by Medair field and headquarters staff. The views expressed herein are those solely of Medair and should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of any other organisation