When disaster strikes, children often carry invisible wounds that can last far longer than the physical damage. Seven-year-old Bissan from Maaret Misrin, Idlib, experienced this firsthand when a devastating earthquake shattered not just buildings, but her sense of safety and peace.
How 7-Year-Old Bissan Overcame Earthquake Trauma
The Night Everything Changed
When we talk about trauma, it’s easy to picture statistics — numbers and charts showing how many children are affected by war, displacement, or disaster. But trauma is not abstract. It’s very real. It has a name, a face, and a voice — like seven-year-old Bissan from Maaret Misrin, Idlib.
She lives in a humble two-room home with her parents and two younger siblings. “I love my brothers and sisters,” she told us. “I love playing with them. I always want to be near them.”
But one night changed everything.
“When the earthquake happened I was awake drinking water in the kitchen. One of my brothers was asleep but the other was awake playing with his teddy. It felt like the house was going to collapse, and that was frightening,” Bissan recalls.
That terrifying moment marked the beginning of weeks of sleepless nights and overwhelming fear. “I couldn’t sleep for two nights. I was terrified of nights and every horror moment we faced. On TV, I have seen the houses destroyed, and this image has been chasing me relentlessly. I didn’t want to leave the house and kept crying, imagining another earthquake and being dead.”
"I couldn't sleep for two nights. I was terrified of nights and every horror moment we faced. On TV, I have seen the houses destroyed, and this image has been chasing me relentlessly. I didn't want to leave the house and kept crying, imagining another earthquake and being dead."
Bissan, 7 years
The Path to Healing
When our mental health team identified Bissan’s case, they immediately included her in our survival mechanisms program. For three months, she attended weekly sessions focused on healing and recovery.
“We taught her breathing and relaxing techniques, the safe place imagery tool, and how to control the disturbing images related to the earthquake,” explains Bayan, our mental health worker. “She responded very well and started to play with her friends. She made new friends and waited to attend the sessions impatiently.”
"We taught her breathing and relaxing techniques, the safe place imagery tool, and how to control the disturbing images related to the earthquake," explains Bayan, our mental health worker. "She responded very well and started to play with her friends. She made new friends and waited to attend the sessions impatiently."
Bayan, Mental Health Worker
The change in Bissan was remarkable. Through specialized techniques and compassionate support, she learned to manage her fears and reclaim her childhood. “We used different mechanisms that had positive effects on her as she got rid of the disturbing images of the earthquake and got the chance to live normally,” Bayan notes.
A Life Restored
Today, Bissan not only sleeps peacefully but dreams of her future again. When asked about her ambitions, she lights up: “When I grow up I want to be a teacher as I love to teach children, play with them and make them happy.”
Bissan’s story demonstrates the transformative power of proper mental health care for children affected by trauma. Through our Mental Health Programme, children learn coping strategies, build resilience, and rediscover their ability to hope and dream.
More about our Psychosocial Support programs
Psychosocial support helps children process trauma, rebuild emotional stability, and regain a sense of safety and belonging.
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