Bitter Winter Bites for Displaced Syrians
Freezing winter conditions have made the last few months particularly difficult for displaced Syrians living in camps in Idlib’s countryside. Winters in the region...
Clusterbombs on a Wedding Day
“The wedding should be held after nightfall,” my mother said. “The darkness will keep us safe.” “No,” replied my father. “Driving during the...
Idlib’s Courts of Arbitration
After Samia Abdin’s marriage broke down and ended in divorce, she tried to seek custody of her only son. The 28 year-old took her...
Tamkeen Programme Supports Syrian Communities and Initiatives
Alya recently delivered her first child at the Maternity and Child Welfare centre in the town of Hass, in Syria’s Idlib province. All her...
Farmers Harness the Power of the Sun
Before the revolution, Ahmad al-Sulayman grew apple trees on a five-acre piece of land in Idlib’s countryside. Watered by an artesian well, his orchard...
The Martyr Who Lived
The annals of the Syrian revolution are rich with tales of heroes, but the most heroic one I know is that of my brother...
The Happiest Day of My Life
Night had fallen and the bombing was over. I sat in the dark waiting for my fiance Fuad. We had been engaged for over...
Rebuilding Houses and Lives in Wadi al-Dayf
Umm Ahmad’s displacement began when her home in the village of Maar Hatat was shelled and reduced to rubble. The 45-year-old widow and her...
Reopening Idlib’s Schools
Fuad al-Yusef wakes up filled with excitement each morning at the prospect of going to school. Like hundreds of other children in Idlib’s countryside,...
Building Idlib’s New Universities
Mohammad was at a crossroads in his life. Having recently finished secondary school, his natural move would have been to go on to university....
“She Gave Me Strength”
Homs joined the Syrian revolution three days after the non-violent demonstrations began in the city of Daraa. On March 18, 2011, protesters filled the...
When There is No Place to Hide
Sabah and her family left their home in Kfar Nbuda in a daze. The government had given residents 24 hours to get out, and...
A Dream of Going Home
It was the summer of 2015, and the Turkish government had just announced that it would open its borders with Syria during the Eid...
Therapy Helps Idlib’s Traumatised Children Speak Up
Hani, 12, has a severe stutter, often faints and has difficulty controlling his bladder. These problems began on April 13, 2015, when he was...
The Liberated Women of Idlib
The significant role Idlib’s most devout women played serving the Syrian revolution is one I will never forget. These veiled women were fondly known...
Flogged by the Islamic State
My father is a devout Muslim who has visited Saudi Arabia several times to perform the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages in the holy city...
