Syrian mother of 8 children

 

 

Two years ago life started to become very difficult for us. First everything became more expensive. There was no more work. The war started coming closer and closer to us, until eventually we were surrounded by fighting. My mother in law was very sick – during Ramadan it was the worst for us.

 

Both the Syrian army and the opposition warned us that fighting would start in our town. I was cooking dinner and the rocket came into the house. It was such a loud noise. My children started crying and shouting. They thought I had been killed. They were bombing each other and we were caught in the middle.

 

When they started bombing each-other we decided to leave. We went from our home in rural Damascus to Yarmouk camp. But the war followed us there. After 17 days in Yarmouk they told us we could go back to our home. When we went back everything was destroyed. Everything. We stayed for three days but the bombing started again. We fled to a school. We tried to return back home one more time – but this time we only managed to stay 2 days. It was difficult for the children.

 

We took the decision to come here to Shatilla camp in Lebanon. We found a room when we arrived and we stayed in that room for 2 months. We were 10 people sleeping in that room. There was not enough space for us to all lie down at the same time so we had to take turns to sleep. This is what the fighting has done to us.

 

My son was injured in Damascus. The doctor said that he needed an operation but we were moving from place to place and we didn’t have the money. Since we arrived here in Lebanon we haven’t received any help from anyone.

 

My house was looted – they stole everything inside. We have nothing left. The owner of the room we are now staying in came to collect rent yesterday. We need to pay. But we came only with the clothes on our back. Both sides prevent me from going home. Even a cat can’t move in my area. They even bombed the funeral of my neighbour.

 

The bombing stopped people from receiving assistance. How could we get to distributions? We were in a good situation before the war. I lived in that same street for 27 years. Now both of the armies are bombing on that street.

 

When I was in Syria I had a home and I dreamt that my sons would get married and live close to me. Then we came to Lebanon. I am in shock. There is no future for us. Now none of my children have a future. This war has destroyed everything. Everything.