Bread and Blood
My father’s last night with us was shrouded in cold and darkness. The electricity had been cut off, so we sat huddled together, our...
Getting Married Under Siege in Syria
Darayya continues to suffer under the crippling siege imposed by the Syrian regime. All basic essentials and humanitarian services are in short supply. Despite...
Detained and Tortured, But Still Strong
Friday, a weekend day in Syria, used to be a time for leisure. Those days are long gone, and Friday is now associated with...
The Taste of Olive Oil and Thyme
It was a long night of tension and fear. We spent it in darkness, hiding with other residents of our neighbourhood as a storm...
Syria’s Children All Deserve to Live
I never wanted to leave Syria. I never even wanted to leave my own city, but the siege forced us into exile. Life became...
“Mama, Why Are They Shelling Us?”
Daily life in the city of Daraya has been full of chaos and death since the uprising began. It is no longer safe to...
Even Our Smiles Are Taken Away
“Mama, is Bashar [al-Assad] gone yet?” “No, my dear.” “So that means we’re not going home?” My seven-year-old daughter has repeated these questions every...
Defying Tradition to Join the Revolution
On the night of April 20, 2011, I was hurrying to join a candlelight vigil. I had hesitated about attending, but eventually decided to...
