Zaid’s Journey to Confidence
A powerful story of resilience, safety, and the impact of supportive schools
“I feel safe, and I’m so happy that I’m no longer bullied or made fun of. I even like studying now, because I can focus,” says Zaid, 14, with a bright smile. “I have friends, we play football, and I get to talk to the other kids. School is fun now.”
It wasn’t always like this. Since starting school in first grade, Zaid had been bullied because of his disability. “I used to hate coming to school,” he recalls. “I felt upset, sad, and helpless. I didn’t have the confidence to stand up for myself, so the only thing I could do was walk away and try to avoid the kids who bullied me.”
One day, Zaid tried to run away from school again, but a teacher noticed and asked why he was leaving. “I told him about the bullying,” Zaid says. “It wasn’t easy to talk about, because I always felt uncomfortable discussing my disability and insecurity.
The teacher, trained through the Ma’An programme, knew how to respond. Soon after, the programme was implemented in the school, raising awareness among students about bullying and its impact. “The teacher held sessions in the classroom and explained that bullying is not acceptable and anyone who bullies will be held accountable,” Zaid says. “From that point, things started to change. The other kids stopped bullying me altogether.”
As the bullying stopped, Zaid’s confidence began to grow. He started participating more in class, speaking up when he had questions, and enjoying activities he had avoided before, like football. The teachers also provided extra support sessions in Arabic, English, and mathematics, helping him catch up on what he had missed.
Zaid’s grades improved as well. “My grades started to improve,” he says proudly. “I have a dream now—I want to become a mathematics teacher when I grow up because of the encouragement I got from my teachers and the Ma’An programme.”
He also learned an important lesson about facing challenges. “In the past, I would run away from bullies or even people who ask me about my disability. Now, I have the courage and confidence to talk to the kids—even outside school—and explain my disability if they ask. The best thing I learned is that I should say no to bullying and face problems with courage.”
The Ma’An programme, run by UNICEF Jordan in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, helps create safe and supportive learning environments in schools. It trains teachers, engages students in awareness activities, implements policies to hold bullies accountable, and provides support services for children affected by violence. By giving teachers tools to respond and students a voice, Ma’An empowers children like Zaid to feel safe, included, and able to thrive.
