Displacement And Disability No Barrier To Work For Refugees

Shaikha leaves her home in Zaatari refugee camp at six o'clock each morning to catch a bus to her place of work at a nearby industrial zone. She works long hours behind a sewing machine producing clothing items for a Jordanian garment factory. She has been employed at the factory for almost a year, and says she couldn't be happier. "I like my job and I cry if I miss a day of work.' Shaikha's life has been marred by conflict, displacement and a physical disability. A few years ago, she began to suffer from hearing loss, which has worsened over time. She was also forced to flee her village of Elma on the outskirts of the Syrian city of Daraa after her house was destroyed during the fighting.

Since moving to Jordan in 2011, the 55-year-old has been determined to find work in order to gain a sense of independence and some income to support herself and her elderly husband.