A Chance to be Woven Back In
A five-minute drive from my home took me to the narrow alley way of Duaa. In between tall buildings and tight spaces, filled with too much humanity and buildings in disrepair, I climb the dark stair well to Duaa’s apartment. Our phone lights were needed to keep us from stumbling up the stairs. I quickly take in electric wires dangling everywhere, the laundry drying in-between buildings and a lone plant struggling to find light. Her warm greetings rang out, even before the humble apartment door opened. We kiss each other on the cheeks. Twice on each side. Duaa is our newest lady to join the Woven Dignity team. She has 3 children (ten years old to two) and a husband who works for substandard pay as a car mechanic. They fled Syria ten years ago because of the war and have lived from week to week, sometimes day to day, in refugee status ever since. Ten years is a long time to live with the label refugee. Ten years is too long to live with not enough. Ten years is not e