Maya, 14, is a Coaching for Life participant in Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. Having arrived from Syria in 2013, she has taken a key role in standing up for the rights of young girls in the camp and tackling the issues of child marriage and child labour.
“I live at Za’atari camp with my mother, older brother and twin brother. I remember I used to go to my grandfather’s house, but that’s all I remember from Syria. My hobbies are writing poetry, articles and short stories.
“I discovered poetry when I came to Za’atari and started to practice. I would memorise it and recite it again at school. Then I started writing my own poetry. I want to become a pharmacist but at the same time I want to keep track of women’s issues and write about them.
“I signed up for Save the Children’s programme with Arsenal called Coaching for Life, where I made new friends, got to know new coaches and gained confidence. I also work with Save the Children in other sessions that focus on solutions to three issues: women’s empowerment, child marriage and child labour. We started initiatives, gave out brochures and organised awareness sessions for parents.
“I was very shy when I started coming to the sessions. At school or even at home I always sat by myself. I wouldn’t try to meet new friends. I used to be very angry. But later, after I started coming to the centre, I met many new friends.
“The challenges girls face here at the camp are early marriage, child labour, dropping out of school, a lack of women’s empowerment and harassment. A girl is the most vulnerable person in a family. She cannot defend her rights or express her opinions. It is difficult for her to go out as she pleases and wearing certain clothes is forbidden. Everything is forbidden. It’s mainly parents who enforce these things.
“It’s very important for us to defend the rights of girls because they are the most vulnerable. Education goes to the boys but parents take girls out of school and marry them off. I don’t want this to happen. I tell girls to defend their rights and to be the voice of all women in the community. I tell them, don’t stay quiet.
“Early marriage ruins a girl’s life. She will miss out on living freely without anyone taking all her rights. It has psychological and physical effects. It prevents her getting a degree. We have a saying here, “Your degree is your weapon.” Without one she will not be able to get a job and will not be able to get her own income, which no one can control but her.
“The challenge I face is that sometimes adults don’t really listen to us and think we’re talking about silly things. But we are talking about things that are very big and important to us. What we are doing now through the programme is awareness sessions for parents. There are some parents who listen and help us defend our rights with us, but others don’t. They tell us, “No, child marriage is normal and we’ve been doing it for a long time. We cannot give up our traditions.” They don’t really understand. But we keep on trying, and if they are stubborn, we will be even more stubborn, and eventually we will end child marriage.
“I would like to send a message to the parents at Za’atari camp to stop following all of our traditions. A girl has dreams, a future. So instead of seeing your daughter grow up to be an engineer, a doctor or a pharmacist, to be happy for her and to see her success, you are ruining her future. A child does not raise a child.
“A message I would like to send to all girls around the world is to never give up on your ambitions and dreams. Always follow your dreams and your education because this is what will benefit you in the end.”
Coaching for Life is about football, but also so much more. “It’s very important for us to defend the rights of girls because they are the most vulnerable,” says Maya
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