Areej Abdul Majid’s life has been etched with the scars of war, yet she stands as a testament to resilience and the power of community. Born as a Palestinian Syrian, she grew up in the echoing pain of conflict, her childhood shaped by the unrest in Syria and the relentless challenges of living as a refugee in Lebanon. Today, she carries those memories not as weights, but as fuel to empower others in their struggles.

Now a refugee in the Mar Elias camp, Areej continues her life’s work with an unyielding passion for social change. Her days are devoted to working with NGOs, leading community groups, and empowering the displaced—particularly women and girls—who face unimaginable deprivation.

For Areej, the wars she has witnessed are not just about the violence of bombings or the ruins left behind. They are also wars waged against rights: the right to education, the right to work, the right to live without fear. Being a refugee, a woman, and an advocate in Lebanon means navigating a labyrinth of systemic discrimination. In the lives of refugee girls, Areej sees reflections of her own battles—struggling against legal invisibility and societal marginalization, yet striving to dream.

Through her community mobilization efforts, she helps women and girls find their voices and recognize their strength. She runs literacy programs for adolescent girls, organizes discussions on rights and dignity, and creates spaces for healing through storytelling and shared experiences. Additionally, Areej conducts mental health support sessions for families, children, and women through the NGO she works with, focusing on fostering resilience and providing emotional support during such traumatic times. She also moderates sessions for parents on effective parental guidance and raising children in a time of crisis, helping families navigate the complex emotional and psychological landscape of displacement.

In her writing, Areej captures the raw pain of displacement and the small triumphs of hope. “I’ve always believed words can hold the weight of our collective grief and yet carry us to a place of healing,” she says. Her words weave together the fragments of lost homes, fractured families, and unrealized dreams, reminding her community—and the world—that their stories matter.

Living in the Mar Elias camp, surrounded by layers of hardship, Areej remains a source of light. She channels her own pain into a deep compassion for others, believing that healing is not an individual act but a communal one. She does not see herself as a savior, but as a fellow traveler, walking alongside those seeking to rebuild their lives.

Her story is a reminder that even amid the devastation of war, there are voices like Areej’s—leading, nurturing, and refusing to let hope fade.