Majd Izzat al-Chourbaji facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Majd Izzat al-Chourbaji
Majd Chourbaji, 2015 International Women of Courage Award
Born	1981 Darayya, Syria
Nationality	Syrian
Occupation	Activist
Known for	Recipient of 2015 International Women of Courage Award

Majd Izzat al-Chourbaji (born in 1981) is a brave Syrian peace activist. She works to help women and protect human rights in Syria. In 2015, she received a special award called the International Women of Courage Award. This award honors women around the world who show amazing courage and leadership.

Early Life and Education

Majd Izzat al-Chourbaji was born in 1981 in Darayya, Syria. When she was just six months old, her family moved to France. They left to escape fighting and danger in their home region. In 1991, her family returned to Syria.

Majd later studied at Damascus University. She earned a college degree in French Literature. After finishing her studies, she worked on a project to fight unfair practices in Damascus.

Leading Peaceful Protests

When big changes, known as the Arab Spring, began in Syria, Majd became an activist. She organized peaceful protests called "sit-ins." These protests asked for the release of people who were arrested for their beliefs.

Majd was arrested herself and treated roughly by the police. Even with her injuries, she stayed committed to peaceful protest. While in prison, she taught other women how to build peace and understand their rights as citizens.

She convinced 150 women in prison to go on a hunger strike. This was a way to make the government bring their cases to a judge. Her peaceful actions eventually led to a court hearing in Damascus. There, she and 83 other prisoners were set free in a prisoner exchange.

Helping Refugees in Lebanon

After being released, Syrian security forces continued to watch Majd closely. Because of this, she had to leave Syria. She became an exile and moved to neighboring Lebanon with her three children.

Moving to Lebanon was difficult for many people. About 800,000 refugees from Syria sought safety there. Finding a place to live was hard, and rent was very expensive. There was also little work available. This made it tough for refugees who had left with almost nothing.

In January 2015, Lebanon made things even harder. They started requiring visas for all Syrians crossing the border.

On January 2, 2014, Majd founded an organization called Women Now in Lebanon. This center helps refugee women. They offer training in skills like hairdressing, computer use, drawing, and knitting. They also teach English and French. Most importantly, they provide emotional support to women and their children.