The Bahja Initiative: How one Jordanian mother created a safe, joyful haven for autistic children

Every Saturday in Amman, a circle of children bursts with colour, sound, and movement. Paints spill across tables, musical instruments jingle in eager hands, and trainers weave gently between them. Laughter, curiosity, and unrestrained joy fill the room, while mothers watch with quiet relief and awe.

Here at Bahja, difference is not a label or limitation — it is a language of life, a celebration of each child's unique rhythm and voice.

For many mothers of children on the autism spectrum, this scene was once unimaginable.

Luma Jamjoum Barakat, founder of Bahja, recalls the early days after her child's diagnosis as a storm of sadness, anger, and uncertainty. The struggle went beyond accepting the diagnosis — it meant navigating a society unprepared to understand or include their children, while facing treatment costs far beyond most families' reach.

"We noticed early signs at the age of one and a half, until he was officially diagnosed at three," Luma shared with The New Arab, about her child's diagnosis.

"We were told the condition was moderate, and relatives reassured us it was just a temporary speech delay, so I was in denial. Questions overlapped in my mind: how do I deal with this, and which path do I take?"

From diagnosis to care 

For families in Jordan, as in many countries, challenges do not end with a diagnosis or the high cost of care — they continue in everyday interactions and societal understanding.

Studies, including a 2023 Jordanian report, highlight the urgent need to raise awareness among parents and communities about autism to foster better communication and inclusion.

"Society's view and lack of understanding add to the pressure," Luma continued. "Sometimes we felt like strangers."

Despite the noticeable improvement her child achieved through early intervention and behavioural therapy, the family faced challenges in inclusive schools. Luma's child moved between schools because some teachers lacked experience, and was later transferred to a specialised centre that provided a more inclusive environment.

"The teacher would remove him from the classroom if he caused a disturbance, which reinforced a feeling of non-acceptance. We needed a place that would embrace him," Luma shared. 

The World Health Organization estimates that around one in 127 people worldwide is on the autism spectrum, while in Jordan, estimates suggest roughly 10,000 cases, though exact national data is limited.

This reality prompted Luma to deepen her knowledge of the condition by enrolling in specialised courses and continually reviewing scientific studies.

As clinical psychologist Dr Laith Odeh explains, autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that affects communication and social interaction skills, accompanied by repetitive behaviour and fixed routines, in addition to sensory interaction challenges.

"I learned from specialists that observing my child is the key to understanding him. I began to distinguish his anger and realised that noise or strong lighting might provoke him. I started to understand him in the blink of an eye," Luma said.

Creating safe spaces

The Bahja initiative didn't begin as a planned project; it grew organically from Luma's experiences with her child and her observations of other mothers, opening a new horizon of understanding and reflection.

"I noticed that mothers over-worry and place their children under a microscope of monitoring and thinking. They fell into my previous mistake of trying to completely modify the child's behaviour," she said.

Luma added that many behaviours that concern parents are simply personal expressions of joy or anger, explaining that flapping, for example, is one way some children express happiness.

On a summer day in 2018, Luma invited mothers she had met in therapy centres to her home.

"It was a calm and joyful session. The mothers were in one corner, and I arranged a space for the children to sit. I felt their ease and interaction with each other. I reflected on the joy in their eyes and on their integration, so I proposed an idea and called it Bahja. We must understand their world," she said.

At that moment, she realised that their lives as mothers before the initiative had been miserable. They did not believe there was joy or anything beautiful in it.

The initiative began with eight mothers and aims to provide a free, safe space offering psychological support and awareness for mothers, alongside science-based, developmental recreational activities for children.

Bahja relies on networking with specialists and volunteers in behavioural therapy, speech therapy, arts and music.

It holds a weekly activity every Saturday and includes five programmes, as well as monthly interactive sessions that bring mothers together with specialists and awareness workshops on etiquette when dealing with persons with disabilities in schools and the local community.

Luma explained the recruitment mechanism: “I attracted mothers through centres where activities were held and created a social media page that today has about 14,000 followers. We publish our activities and awareness videos. With every activity announcement, calls begin: Where and how can we participate?”

Rasha Al Adwan, director of the Independent Living Directorate at the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, said the Bahja initiative represents a practical, supportive model for children on the autism spectrum and their families, especially in communities that need greater awareness of autism.

Rasha added that such initiatives complement the council's efforts to raise awareness, enhance social inclusion, improve quality of life, and protect the rights of persons with disabilities.

She noted that the number of beneficiaries from inclusive day centres in Jordan reached about 800 children on the autism spectrum, while the number of inclusive public schools rose to 250, in addition to the recent opening of the National Autism Centre, the first government specialised centre of its kind.

Over the years, Bahja's activities have reached about 6,000 children from various governorates. Currently, about 40 children regularly participate in weekly activities, including 20 on the autism spectrum.

Dr Laith highlighted the value of supportive therapies. "Activities such as music and the arts play a crucial role in fostering children's skills, improving behaviour, and reducing the gaps and symptoms associated with autism," he told The New Arab.

He also emphasised the critical role of parents in providing a nurturing, therapeutic environment. Early diagnosis and intervention are essential, he added, because denial can lead families to seek multiple opinions or delay treatment, postponing the therapeutic support their children need.

Support and limitations 

While professional guidance and early intervention are vital, Bahja's continuity has also depended on community belief and grassroots support. Luma says she is deeply proud of the volunteers and donors who have sustained the initiative.

"When individuals and society believed in my initiative, they provided financial and in-kind support covering tools, activities, venue booking and transportation — all through support from people and companies in the community who know our work. We call them ‘support angels,'" she said.

Um Sand, a mother of a child on the autism spectrum and a beneficiary of the Bahja initiative, first noticed signs when her eldest son was just a year and a half old — nearly four years before she joined the group.

"I felt there was something different about my son, but I didn't know exactly what it was," she said.

With the help of a friend who worked at a specialised centre, her son was eventually diagnosed and began occupational and speech therapy in 2014. At the time, she knew little about autism or how to support him. The sessions were costly, as they were conducted one-on-one, but she felt she had no choice but to continue.

What troubled her most was the lack of group activities where her son could interact with other children. That changed when a friend told her about the Bahja initiative — an idea that immediately gave her hope.

"When I joined Bahja, it transformed my life and my son's," she said. "I still remember the first day I saw other children like him — and parents gathered together in group activities and awareness sessions. For the first time, I realised I wasn't alone. I had been isolating myself. Bahja showed me that there are families like ours living with joy and hope."

Despite its impact, the initiative continues to face challenges.

"One of the main issues is digital bullying, as well as parents' sensitivity to certain community attitudes and a lack of acceptance of difference," Luma explained.

"We try to address this by sharing awareness content about how to respectfully engage with persons with disabilities and by guiding parents to the complaints line at the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities."

Another urgent challenge, she said, is securing a permanent home for the initiative.

"One of our biggest priorities now is to find a dedicated space — even a modest one — that can serve as a headquarters and allow us to welcome more families," Luma explained.

"Sustainability is also a concern. We need equipment and consistent funding to keep activities running. Sometimes parents contribute a symbolic two and a half dinars simply because they want to support us."

A dream beyond Saturday

Despite these obstacles, Luma envisions Bahja as more than a weekly gathering. She hopes to transform it into a permanent centre operating throughout the week — a space offering education, training and even employment pathways, built not only on care but on recognising and nurturing each child's abilities.

When the sessions end, children return home carrying more than artwork or new skills. Their mothers leave with something, too — the reassurance that they are not alone, and that their children have a place where they belong.

With a smile, Um Sand shared, "My son now counts down to every Saturday. I dedicate the whole day to it, and I've found friends among the Bahja mothers."

Huda Alhanayfah is an independent investigative journalist from Jordan specialising in human rights and environmental issues. She is the founder of the Kayf? podcast and a member of the Marie Colvin Journalists' Network. She previously worked at ARIJ and Free Press Unlimited, and has received several local journalism awards

Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari