A Diary from a Humanitarian Worker in Syria: Bearing Witness to a Forgotten Crisis

Our team drove through Harasta today, a town near the capital of Damascus that has witnessed heavy destruction. The scene of buildings with their roofs collapsed to the ground had become all too familiar. Piles of rubble stretch as far as the eye can see, making one wonder about the lives of the people who once lived there - are they still alive? Will they ever come home? Did they find shelter? Were they able to start anew or are they still struggling to rebuild their lives? From afar, the effects the conflict has left on people's lives might not be so visible with hundreds of stories buried under the ruins.

I still remember an elderly man I met during one of my visits to this town. He told me how he had spent his entire life saving money to build a modest space that could barely pass for a home. With tears in his eyes, he remembered the night his dreams were shattered. During one of the clashes, the home he had worked so hard to build, was reduced to rubble and ash in an instant, just a few years ago. “It felt like my entire life was wasted for nothing. All the hard work I've put in over the past 40 years now feels meaningless. I don't think I have the time or energy to start over,” he said. 

Many like him, find themselves having to rethink their life, instead of enjoying their retirement. While a single income is no longer enough to support a household due to the crumbling economy, the burden falls on elderlies, just as it does on the rest of their family members.  

In Harasta, I also met a woman who had lost her husband and home in the same year. Every day is a struggle for her as she strives to provide for her family and often has to depend on handouts. she has searched for a job for almost five years, but in a country where opportunities are already scarce – her lack of skills and education have made it impossible to find one.

Despite her ongoing struggles, she has transformed her hardships into valuable lessons for her daughters. In a conservative environment where social pressure often hinders girls from completing their education, she ensured her daughters receive an education. Uncertain of what the future holds, she wants them to be equipped with all that it takes, to take control of their lives.