Wiam Yousef Al-Amari and nine of her family members fled their hometown of Daraa in Syria in early 2013.

Like other Syrian refugees, then-12-year-old Wiam was housed in a Zaatari refugee camp, said to be the largest of its kind in the world.

Wiam is one of the many Syrian children who witnessed the devastation of and suffered from the displacement of war.

To help these children, Syrian actor and playwright, Nawar Bulbul began a series of theatrical performance workshops involving plays by English poet and playwright William Shakespeare.

"The people in Zaatari live the revolution 24 hours a day. Children hear about bloody events from their families, such as bombings, killings, destruction and massacres," he said.

But with the opportunity to practice and perform in Shakespearean plays, the children are able to focus their energies on something different.

Wiam was cast to play Cordelia, King Lear's youngest and most beloved daughter, in one of Shakespeare's similarly-named classic tragedies.

Her cousin Majed Samiral Mari – whom she met for the first time in the camp – won the starring role as King Lear.

After months of rehearsals, the children obtained the chance to perform in front of a live audience in Amman.

"I am very happy because it's the first time we've come to Amman. We have seen a lot of things, a playground, there are so many games. We are really happy," said Wiam.

The organizers believe that the focus on positive energies will not only build up the children's confidence, but also help them cope with the impact of the war back home.

Assignment Asia is CGTN's award-winning current affairs program featuring long-form stories and documentaries on some of the most pressing issues in the region. The show airs Saturdays at 1330 and 2130 GMT, with replays every Sunday at 0630, Monday at 0130, and Tuesday at 0530.