Trauma Healing for 100's of Syrian Refugee Youth

We've reached 183 children and 12 youth in only two months! 

Here are three stories from our students...

Aseel is 12 years old from Dara', South Syria

Aseel was 6 when she left Syria, and settled in Jordan. She saw capoeira on Facebook for the first time, and so she asked her mother if she could come to the centre and try it. The first class was very enjoyable and helpful, she keeps doing movements and songs at home. She says that before capoeira she was sleepy and dizzy in the morning, but now she gets up early and feels active, with positive energy.

Aseel thinks it's important to let people know about capoeira, because capoeira changed her life. People should know about the songs and movements. Aseel is always singing songs at home and her mum asks, what is this? She says it's beautiful and has a beautiful meaning in Portuguese.

Aseel first wanted to travel to Paris but now she knows capoeira she wants to travel to Brazil.

Omar, 17 years old, from Sareeh host community in Northern Jordan

What Omar loves most about school is football. He has always loved sports and even taught himself some gymnastics on his own. 

Omar used to think capoeira is just about songs and music, but he changed his idea when he arrived to the Capoeira al-Shababi classes and started moving around. Omar now loves all parts of capoeira, both the music and movements. He met new people inside capoeira classes, new friends, who he now sees outside on the streets. 

Every day Omar goes home, he trains on the capoeira movements that he learned that day. He used to fight a lot with his brothers but he doesn't anymore. "I learned to be patient and respect others inside the classes", he said. Omar also tells us that one of his friends from capoeira class has also stopped fighting in school and in their neighbourhood. 

Qasim, 15 years old, from Irbid, North Jordan

Qasim (15 years old) came to the programme with a lot of aggression. He has many older brothers and has a lot of authority in his life, but not enough understranding. But this started to change inside capoeira classes.

In capoeira, Qasim is learning rapidly and his attitude has changed. He started to respect what other people say, asking questions and seeking answers in the classes. He arrived as rule-breaker, and is now the right-hand of the teacher in capoeira class. He doesn't just participate but is actually helping to structure and organise the classes, and encouraging his peers to take the sessions seriously and help everyone learn.