"She offered advice, helped younger children, and filled even the most mundane chores with her optimism and positive spirit. Within a few months, Jumana left a lasting mark".
Manos, Educator at The HOME Project
Having spent most of her life in a refugee camp in Syria, Jumana made the dangerous crossing to Greece alone. After several weeks in precarious conditions at the Leros camp, she arrived at our shelter last November with a single wish: to be reunited with her family.
Our in-house legal team acted swiftly and completed the whole process in just two months. Jumana has now moved to Germany to be with her mother and her new-born sister.
Despite starting off as timid and reserved, she gradually opened up and was eager to participate in all the activities organized at the shelter. Manos, one of our Educators, recalls how she stepped into a caring role among her peers. “She offered advice, helped younger children, and filled even the most mundane chores with her optimism and positive spirit. Within a few months, Jumana left a lasting mark”, he admits.
Nael, the shelter’s Cook, speaks about her with quiet admiration. “She was like a mother to the other children. A joyful, kind-hearted girl who brought warmth and love into the house—giving so much of herself to us and to the children”, he remembers. And adds: "She helped with everything—especially with the little things that often go unnoticed, but can make a big difference in the day to day life inside the shelter. In the kitchen, she loved to help cook and keep things organized. She even wanted to help the younger children with their baths. For me, she was an extraordinary child”.
Beyond her warm, respectful and mature demeanor, Jumana also had a deeply creative side. She enjoyed drawing and dancing, and always joined the visits to art exhibitions and workshops. Before she left, she made sure to create colorful, handwritten cards for all the other children, as well as The HOME Project team.
Jumana’s story is not just one of reunion—it’s a reflection of the strength of the human spirit and the transformative impact of love, kindness, and community in overcoming adversity.
In the words of Nael: “Children come here needing a warm embrace of love and kindness—I feel like she gave both of these things to us, and to the other kids, and I would like to think that she received them from us as well".