Life in Syria has not been easy until now for 55-year old Hayat: illness, the fear of not being able to cope, the war, the economic crisis, the feeling of having to face everything on her own.
A few months ago, in November 2021, Hayat’s husband died of stomach cancer, and she herself has been fighting breast cancer since 2018 but the family’s financial situation was such that she couldn’t afford to buy the medicines she needed on a regular basis.
Hayat heard about AMU’s Seeds of Hope project which provides primary care in Syria, including medical treatment. 
With the medicine arriving regularly, the couple’s sense of loneliness was alleviated: “We felt reassured and stopped worrying about a lack of medicines. We weren’t afraid any more, and this helped to improve our mental health”.
With the death of Hyat’s husband the pain returned and once again she was forced to confront her fears but the Seeds of Hope project workers didn’t abandon her. They tried to be even closer to her. “When I first came to this office, I thought I would just be taking my medicine, but what I received has been much more than that. They have given me all kinds of support, I have drawn strength from them, they have been my refuge. They are always there for me, like a family.”
Hayad knows how important this is for anyone in a vulnerable situation, so she hopes to able to reciprocate the love he has received: “I hope my health improves so that I can help those who need me.”