MEET DURAID

Before being displaced, I worked as a daily laborer in agriculture. I had no land of my own but worked on others’ land for wages. I got married and had my first child in our village. But after the start of the war in Syria, it became impossible to farm. The fields were destroyed, and restrictions were severe. We were left without income, and I had a family to support. Many young men fled the village, and we left with them because of the economic hardship and security clampdowns. We were displaced from our village in 2016 and headed north towards Turkey. We lived in a camp at the Syrian border for ten years. During that time, my wife gave birth to three children.

During the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey, we were in the camp. We lived through fear and terror, especially the children. Our tent collapsed, and we had to evacuate to an open field until it was safe again. It was a nightmare, but thank God, we survived. We returned to our village in January 2025, after the former president fled and the new leadership took over. We repaired our small house, where we now live with my brother Mohammad and his family of six. We both returned together from the northern camps. This house has two rooms and a kitchen, and we are two families totaling 14 people living here. It is very cramped, but at least it is ours. Thank God for everything, it’s much better than the tent we used to live in.

Securing our basic needs remains a challenge, although I went back to working the land and my wife helps me find small ways to earn more money by also working during weeding and harvest seasons. We’re doing everything we can to secure better living conditions for the family, but what we earn is not enough and expenses keep piling up. Most of our spending goes toward food, clothing, and school supplies for the kids. Healthcare is extremely costly too. If someone needs hospital care, it’s a disaster – the illness itself plus the expenses. As for education, the children are struggling a lot after returning—they had no schooling in the camp and are starting from zero. The school exists but needs renovation and maintenance.

Our biggest challenge has been to go through the winter. First, there is no agricultural work in the winter, and I had to stay at home for several months, which highly affected our income and prevented us from being able to afford heating. Second, our small house is made of blocks of concrete alone, which makes it very poorly insulated and cold in the winter.

Thankfully, a friend told me about the church, and I visited them to ask for help. After reviewing my situation, they kindly accepted to support me—something I’m deeply thankful for. Through them, we were provided with most of our winter clothing and heating supplies: the blankets and the four rugs we received were an immense help in protecting us from the cold. In addition, the five pairs of winter shoes and winter jackets and hats for the children were truly vital for us, at this time when we couldn’t afford any heating material.

As a father and head of the family, this gave me a deep sense of security, joy, and relief. No words of thanks are enough for such precious and meaningful help, especially for the children’s health. Without this support, the cold could have led to constant stomach aches, colds, and diarrhea, forcing us into costly treatments. The winter assistance spared us so much suffering.

The people responsible for distributing aid at the church have been so polite and kind. They treat everyone with respect and dignity, fully understanding our financial and social situation, and try their very best to help. Their assistance isn’t just material—it lifts us emotionally, helping us overcome the economic and psychological crises we are experiencing. We are extremely thankful for them and all their help. Our only hope is to live in peace and comfort with our families in our beloved homeland. We love working the land, and all we dream of is to live with dignity in an environment that provides moral support and basic needs, even if it’s through very hard work. Above all, we dream of safety. We hope that life in our country—and especially our region—returns to how it was before these terrible events. For my family, I pray that my children can grow up well and get an education, so they can build a better, dignified life for themselves.