LocationsHow one woman’s return home helped rebuild trust and community in coastal Syria
Rooted in Peace
March 8, 2026
Laurel forestation campaign in rural Lattakia
© UNDP Syria – Mohammad Jouni
“On 8 December 2024, it felt like I could breathe again.”
After more than a decade, Ghaitha’a, a 40-year-old economics graduate and mother of three, returned to her village of Rabiea on Syria’s coast. Like many families displaced by years of conflict, she had left behind a home, farmland and a community that had once shaped her life.
Her children grew up far from the village. Her siblings scattered across borders. One of her brothers disappeared into the black hole of Sednaya prison.
When she returned, the house she had left behind was damaged, and the land surrounding it had been overtaken by weeds.
But she was determined to start again.
Together with her husband, she began repairing part of their home and clearing the land. The work was slow, but familiar. For Ghaitha’a, rebuilding the farm was a way to reconnect with the life she once knew.
“Working on the land gave us hope that things could move forward,” she says.
Yet it quickly became clear that rebuilding livelihoods would not be enough if relationships within the community remained fragile.
Rabiea is home to families from different ethnic and religious backgrounds who have lived side by side for generations. Years of conflict, displacement and fear had strained those relationships.
Shortly after her return, a man from the village approached her, visibly shaken.
“They say I do not belong here anymore,” he told her.
The comment stayed with her.
“I could not accept hearing the words ‘us’ and ‘them’ again,” Ghaitha’a recalls. “Everyone has suffered during these years—those who stayed and those who left.”
Instead of ignoring the tension, she decided to act.
Ghaitha’a during a training workshop, wearing a pink shirt
© UNDP Syria – Mohammad Jouni
Drawing on the relationships she had built in the village over the years, she approached the mayor with a simple proposal: to organise a dialogue where residents, returnees and community leaders could speak openly about their concerns.
The meeting took place in the municipal hall. Returnees, long-time residents, religious leaders and local authorities attended.
The conversation was not easy. People spoke about mistrust, fear and the challenges of rebuilding their lives after years of uncertainty.
But the meeting created space for something that had been missing: direct conversation.
“In the weeks that followed, there were no incidents of aggression in the village,” Ghaitha’a says. “It showed that when people talk to each other, it can reduce tensions.”
Her willingness to step forward in the community was shaped in part by her participation in the UNDP project Women-led Initiatives for Climate Adaptation, supported by the Funding Windows, Denmark.
Through the initiative, women in Rabiea received training on climate-adaptive agricultural practices such as conservation farming, composting and water harvesting. The programme also included sessions on none-violence communication, selfcare, leadership and gender awareness.
“For many years my life followed the same routine—home, family and uncertainty,” Ghaitha’a says. “The training helped me build confidence and express my ideas.”
One session in particular stood out for her. It focused on understanding people’s motivations and concerns.
“It helped me realise that behind many reactions there is often fear or worry,” she explains. “When we understand that, it becomes easier to find solutions.”
The programme also encouraged women to play a more active role in community life.
“It reminded us that women are not only managing households,” she says. “We can also contribute to decisions that affect our communities.”
Inspired by what she had learned, Ghaitha’a joined other women in Rabiea to launch a small reforestation initiative. Together they planted laurel trees on nearby hillsides that had been damaged by conflict and wildfires.
The initiative served two purposes: restoring the land and bringing people together around a shared activity.
“Planting trees gave people something positive to work on together,” she says. “It helped rebuild connections.”
Her efforts soon extended beyond environmental work.
Laurel forestation campaign in rural Lattakia
© UNDP Syria – Mohammad Jouni
When neighbouring villages in Lattakia were affected by hostilities in March 2025, Ghaitha’a and a network of local women mobilized to support affected families. They helped coordinate food, water and basic assistance while reaching out to local community networks and authorities.
“I know what it feels like to be afraid and uncertain,” she says. “If we can support each other, communities recover faster.”
Today, Ghaitha’a continues to advocate for improvements in her village. She has met with local authorities to raise concerns about roads, schools and support for farmers.
Still, she often returns to her olive trees.
Despite years of neglect, many survived. With improved irrigation and climate-adaptive practices, they are slowly producing again.
Standing among the trees with her children, she reflects on how much has changed since she first returned home.
For her, rebuilding communities after conflict requires patience and practical action.
“Peace grows slowly,” she says. “It starts when people listen to each other and work together again.”
Lessons from Rabiea
Ghaitha’a’s experience highlights several lessons for communities recovering from conflict:
Dialogue creates space for rebuilding trust. Even simple community meetings can help address tensions between returnees and residents.
Women’s leadership strengthens local recovery. When women have access to training and opportunities, they often take on active roles in community initiatives.
Environmental action can support social cohesion. Activities such as reforestation bring people together while restoring local livelihoods.
For Ghaitha’a, the work continues—one conversation, one tree and one step at a time.
By: Asma’ Nashawati
Communications Associate and Gender Champion, UNDP Syria
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