16 December 2019 —  Rodain comes from Daraa in Syria. She arrived in America with her husband and three young boys. The family was resettled from Jordan to Phoenix, Arizona in 2016. ​Ahead of the Global Refugee Forum, where the EU has a unique chance to make an ambitious resettlement pledge, read her story to see why resettlement gives people fleeing conflict and disaster a chance to rebuild their lives.

Back in Syria, Rodain and her husband ran a family restaurant together. When the war broke out, their family and business were suddenly targeted by an armed group. ‘They stole everything from the restaurant and burnt it down in front of us,’ Rodain recalls bitterly.

Their valuables were looted, and their business and home turned to ashes. Having lost everything, they were left with little choice but to flee to Jordan, where the family found safety in a refugee camp.

But life in Jordan proved to be more challenging than anticipated.

‘We spent 18 months in the camp, but the quality of life was very poor. In the end, we had to leave.

‘We settled in Amman, but we didn’t have the right to work. Though we were hoping to find a job in another restaurant, we had to instead survive on food aid. This just wasn’t enough. I found some work cleaning other people’s homes to provide for my family.’

After a total of four years in Jordan, Rodain and her family were selected for resettlement to the United States.

‘I was afraid of the future. I knew I would have to learn a new language and culture. Even after everything we had been through, I really doubted that I was going to be able to do it.’

Transition into a new country can be extremely challenging for resettled refugees. Often still recovering from the impact of violence and other dramatic experiences, they quickly need to learn how to navigate public services, find a job or learn a new language to make a living.

Rodain’s journey was no different. ‘We would spend a whole day trying to get to one meeting, and often struggled to navigate public transportation.’

Whilst attending an appointment at an employment agency in Phoenix, she was robbed. ‘I lost valuables given to me by my mother, the keys to our home and important documents I required to find employment. Then I had a stroke and I was in the hospital for 15 days – that was an awful time.”

But this didn’t deter Rodain from building a new life in the US, as the family received support from the IRC. It helped them to pay the rent, enroll their children in school, and start a business using a small loan. This allowed Rodain to go back to the job she loved most: being a chef.

It all started with Rodain cooking Syrian food from her own home. But soon, thanks to the generosity of one restaurant owner in Phoenix, Rodain moved to a professional kitchen, that was made available to her free of charge. And she feels that the food business is what fostered her inclusion into local life.

‘It has given me much more confidence. I get to talk to customers, which means I am getting better at speaking English. I’ve even made friends, mostly Americans, through this process. Thanks to this business, my family have opened up to the people of Phoenix when before we were isolated.’

Their welcome has been such that Rodain now considers the U.S. home. “I love my community, they feel like family, and so I never feel alone. I know that they really care for me, and that they are my friends. They support me mentally and emotionally, not with money but with their actions.’

Support from the local community has not just helped Rodain, but also her children: ‘Before, my eldest son had struggled with a lot of trauma, but thanks to support from these people he feels much better. All I care about is how people treat me… and vice versa. I feel I am one of them, and that we are all the same.’

For refugees like Rodain, resettlement is a truly life changing shift. ‘I would like to tell others, that if you come here, you will be welcomed. You can build yourself from nothing. Though we have to work hard, we do so for my children who are now in school. In Syria, they would not have had this opportunity.