“Only our dreams remain”
Mother-of-seven Um AbedAllah is from Aleppo, Syria’s largest city and the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in the war-torn country. Since fleeing her home three years ago, she and her family have been living in one of Syria’s many camps.
‘’We are from Aleppo, we fled due to the intensive bombardments and explosive assaults that used to fall like rain,” said Um AbedAllah, 68. “Aleppo turned into a ghost city. Bodies were everywhere, and no one was able to bury them.
“In a glance, we lost our possessions and basic livelihood items. Only our dreams remain.”
When the family arrived at the camp, says Um AbedAllah, they needed food, water and healthcare. The continuing conflict has left around 9.3 million people inside the country in need of urgent humanitarian aid.
Um AbedAllah told us that she worries most of all about her grandchildren. Many of Syria’s children of conflict have lost their homes, relatives, security and education. Many are suffering malnutrition and have little or no access to essential healthcare.
Islamic Relief met the grandmother as we distributed Ramadan food parcels in the camp, as part of an extensive programme to assist displaced families in northern Syria.
“Ramadan is the month of blessings. It is really sad that we are not enjoying the holy month in our beloved country – there is no taste for Ramadan without family gatherings. We are not able to invite others to join our iftar as we are struggling to secure food.”
The foodpack received by Um AbedAllah included rice, bulgar, lentils, flour, tuna and tomatoes as well as olives, cooking oil, ghee, sugar and jam.
“The Ramadan package [will meet] our food needs for the whole month. That makes us comfortable to practise the religious rituals of the month, and to socialise with other people in the camp. It boosts the morale of every member of the family.
“We would like to thank Islamic Relief. Without this assistance, we could not fast for the whole holy month.”
Please continue to support our work inside Syria and in nearby countries to assist people caught up in the brutal conflict: donate to our Syria Crisis Appeal today.
Donate