Layla* was three years old when her family fled Syria for Lebanon. She grew up in a country that was not her own, facing racism and instability that slowly eroded her self confidence. When the pandemic hit in 2020, her anxiety deepened and she dropped out of school. By the time her family finally returned to their hometown following the fall of the Assad regime, Layla was 15, but enrolling in classes alongside children years younger than her. She had grown withdrawn and would actively avoid leaving the house.

Our partner, Child Guardians - a Syrian-led organisation dedicated to protecting children's rights - had been working in Layla’s hometown to support young people rebuild their confidence after growing up surrounded by conflict. They designed a series of 15 training sessions for local young people, focused on rebuilding confidence, understanding emotions and developing the tools to cope with stress. They recognised that children who have grown up in conflict and displacement often face deep mental health challenges.

Layla took her time to participate fully in these sessions, until one day, a session on emotions really caught her attention. Slowly, with patience and gentle encouragement from the team, she started to engage. Layla has now taken on the role of group leader in these sessions.

Layla has loved being part of these sessions and continues to take the learnings into her everyday life: “I am very proud of myself, and I will remain that way, with my self-confidence staying strong.”

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*Layla's name has been changed to protect her identity.