Imagine your home being bombed and destroyed twice. What would you do in order to protect your children?
Mohammed decided to flee the devastating conflict in Syria in search of a safer place for him and his family.
They had been living in an unfurnished room in a building for four months when we first learned about them.
But their life hadn’t always been like that.
Running from Danger
When our distribution partner in Syria, ReliefAid, first met Mohammed and his family, they had been displaced for more than a year and were living in an empty room in a displacement camp.
“Before we were displaced, I had a beautiful house and farmland where I had wheat and sheep,” he told ReliefAid.
My house was bombed and I rebuilt it. Then, the planes returned and bombed us again and we could not stay.”
Mohammed and his family could not bring anything with them when they left. Without any comforts of home, their life is difficult. There is no access to electricity, schools or medical facilities. Water is scarce and there are open sewage channels.
Then things got worse.
Life in the Camp
The owner of the building needed the room back.
Mohammed had five days to find a new living situation.
He borrowed some money and borrowed materials for a tent from one of his relatives.
He was able to build a structure for his family to live, but with winter and rain coming it was far from ideal.
“Winter is hard and cold,” he said. “To keep the children warm, we cover them with blankets. We do not have a heater because we do not have the money.”
Hope for the Future
ShelterBox, in partnership with ReliefAid, provided Mohammed and his family with essential aid items, including mattresses, solar lights, and children’s clothing.
I would like to say thank you very much to ShelterBox and ReliefAid for helping me and other families in the camp. I hope you will continue to help needy families.”
Mohammed and his family said they hope that one day they will be able to return to their home and again have a safe place to live.
When his oldest son Majid was asked what he wished for the coming year, he said, “I hope to return to my home and school, to play with my friends, and that the planes stop killing us.”