

Fatma from Yemen.


Fadouma from Somalia.

Mary (name changed) from Sudan.


Julia (name changed) from Somalia.

Displacement is not a single event that a person experiences but has consequences for years to come. The women photographed in this series have fled war and found themselves in Jordan waiting for resettlement to Europe or North America. Less than 1% of refugees are resettled each year as resettlement places are few compared to the global need. Countries in the West are unwilling or unable to receive refugees at the rate needed to alleviate pressure for countries at the frontline of the effects of war and displacement. Therefore a situation of permanent backlog exists. Some of the women photographed have been waiting for more than 15 years for resettlement. In that waiting period, they continue to maintain family ties with relatives dispersed worldwide. They continue to prepare for their futures in hope. Many of the women were initially apprehensive to have their photos taken, either because of cultural expectations that stopped some women from showing their faces publicly or because of a fear that speaking about their situation may have negative consequences. One of them shared, "I want people to know that I'm here and to give others who may be in the same situation as me hope. They are not alone.”