Behije had always been resilient. Her previous life in the Mahmur camp in Iraq wasn’t easy, but she found a way to make it manageable. For years, she poured her energy into crafting delicate bracelets, each one a labor of love that took hours to complete. The bracelets, sold for five dollars each, became her lifeline, providing a small income for her family and became a way for her to hold onto some sense of normalcy.

But the fragile peace of Mahmur was shattered when their house in the camp was bombarded. The sense of safety they had clung to was gone. Fearing for their lives, she and her husband made the difficult decision to flee. Leaving her four children behind with her mother was the hardest choice she had ever made, but she knew the journey ahead was too dangerous for them.

As they arrived in the Usivak Reception Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina, far from the life they had known, she quickly became involved in the community. She joined the activities at the reception center, always willing to help, whether by making crafts or participating in social events.