When Afraa, 26, returned home with her family after years of displacement, she found their house reduced to rubble. With nowhere else to go, they bought a tent and began rebuilding their lives from scratch.

Afraa is a mother of four. Jihad, 9, Bushra, 7, Sidra, 3, and Rajaa just one year old. While the older children attend school each day, Afraa spends her time caring for her children inside the tent. Her husband was without work for two months and now relies on daily labour, with no stable income.

Before receiving support, the family struggled to meet even their most basic needs. What little money they had was spent on staple foods, leaving no room for fruits, vegetables, or protein. For Rajaa, the youngest, this was especially concerning during a critical stage of growth.

That began to change when Afraa received cash assistance through UNICEF. For the first time, she was able to buy food based on her children’s needs. Fruits, vegetables, and protein meat returned to their meals, and Rajaa’s diet improved.

Soon, Afraa noticed a difference. Rajaa began to gain weight. She became more active, more responsive, more playful.

“The moment I saw my girl strong, able to walk and play, and gaining weight, I was extremely happy,” Afraa says.