Ten months later, as she recalls her first visit to the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, Maha Alasil is unfazed by the life changes that trip brought about.
A professional translator for most of her adult life, Maha had been based in Jordan’s capital, Amman, for a year when the Syrian uprising ignited in March 2011. Since October last year, she has taken on the relentless task of helping Syrians adapt to life as refugees, while continuing her translation work at night. Whether providing basics like diapers and clothes, or access to advanced medical assistance, she has helped rebuild dozens of shattered lives. At a push, she coyly describes herself as a humanitarian activist.
