Syrian Refugees Relief Efforts 2018

JOURNEY o f of

Because nowhere in this Place you call ‘Home’ is Safe anymore ..

”

IMagine this: In the middle of the night, a group of army kick your door, break into your house, hit your parents, shock you with electric baton, and shoot your brother right in his head for no reason at all. Imagine walking home one night, when a bomb drop from the sky and destroy your home, killing your whole family instantly right in front of your eyes. Imagine stopping your studies, hiding in your room all day, trembling in fear and uncertainties, because nowhere in this place you call “home” is safe anymore. Imagine selling off all you have, packing up your whole life in just one rucksack, getting on to an overloaded boat, setting off to the ocean in complete darkness, and fleeing your home country with no guarantee that you will land safely at a better place.

This is the story of a Syrian Refugee.

SYRIA CRISIS

For the past five years, antigovernment demonstrations in Syria have developed into a full-blown civil war, killing more than 222,000 people, half of whom are civilians. This conflict has caused 75% of Syrians to live in poverty, lacking access to basic necessities that leads to starvation, malnutrition and even death.

Since 2011, over 60% of population in Syria has either been internally displaced or left the country due to endless bombings, killings and horrific violations of human rights. As Russia began launching airstrikes at ISIS targets in Syria since October 2015, more Syrian civilians are prompted to flee for safety.

REBUILDING LIVES, PROVIDING HOPE.

We at Humanitarian Affairs aim to reach out to the Syrian refugees and keep hope on their faces in rebuilding their lives. For this reason, we are conducting a humanitarian relief project at refugee camps in Jordan, where international volunteers will provide public health services and other necessary aid to the Syrian community.

STORIES OF SYRIAN REFUGEES

My husband and I sold everything we had to afford the journey. We worked 15 hours a day in Turkey until we had enough money to leave. The smuggler put 152 of us on a boat. Once we saw the boat, many of us wanted to go back, but he told us that anyone who turned back would not get a refund. We had no choice. Both the lower compartment and the deck were filled with people. Waves began to come into the boat so the captain told everyone to throw their baggage into the sea. In the ocean we hit a rock, but the captain told us not to worry. Water began to come into the boat, but again he told us not to worry. We were in the lower compartment and it began to fill with water. It was too tight to move. Everyone began to scream. We were the last ones to get out alive. My husband pulled me out of the window. In the ocean, he took off his life jacket and gave it to a woman. We swam for as long as possible.

After several hours, he told me that he was too tired to swim and that he was going to float on his back and rest. It was so dark we could not see. The waves were high. I could hear him calling me but he got further and further away. Eventually a boat found me. They never found my husband.

Isaw the army burn my neighbor’s house. They set it on fire and took photographs while it burned. The next day I saw the same house on TV, except the headline claimed that it had been destroyed by ‘terrorists.’ The army began to arrest 300 people every day. They were arresting everyone. They came for me during Ramadan. I was eating with my entire family when suddenly we heard the sound of a car outside. Soldiers kicked down the door and they tied my hands behind my back. My children were screaming. The soldiers said: ‘We know you are working with the opposition! You are a terrorist!’ I told them: ‘Please. We are poor people. We have done nothing. We are trying to live.’ I never thought I’d see my family again. They brought me to the prison and blindfolded me. They made me kneel on the floor. They asked me questions about the opposition, but I knew nothing. When they asked me a question, I only had two seconds to answer before I was kicked. They beat me for hours while they questioned me.

I begged them to stop. I kept promising that I would tell them if I heard anything. Then they attached cables to my body. They would run electricity through me for 25 seconds, then they would stop, and they would ask another question. When I said: ‘I don’t know,’ the electricity would start again. They kept me for three days. When they finally let me go, I couldn’t stand. I went home and hugged my family but I had to go straight to work. Because there was no food in the house and no one had eaten for days.”

FAQ

1.WhenwilltheHumanitarianReliefProjectbeconducted?

The project will be conducted on February 4 – 10, 2018.

2. What are the requirements to join this project? Participants must be a past delegate of the University Scholars Leadership Symposium. Each participant is required to raise US Dollars 1,200 for the purchase of humanitarian aid for the refugees. The fund raised will be handed over to appointed treasurer upon arrival to run the project. A selection process will be carried out to identify suitable participants. Only those short-listed will be interviewed.

3. How many participants will be selected for this project? Between 7 to 12 participants will be selected to take part in this project.

4. How much do I need to pay to join this project? Successful applicants will pay USD 1,750.00 for the official attire, local transportation, meals, administrative and security arrangements and other miscellaneous charges. Airfare to Jordan shall be borne by the participants separately.

5. How can I contribute if I am unable to join this project? Delegates can contribute by raising fund and awareness to support this project. Monetary contribution will be used to fund the project and to purchase basic necessities for the refugees.