“I feel someone cares for us”

"I am grateful for the support we have received. I feel someone cares about us."

That's what Samah, a Syrian mother, said about help received after the earthquake that hit that country earlier this year.

Life has been challenging for Samah, 60, and her family. First there was the war, which forced her, her husband and her four children--all of whom had neurological disabilities--to flee for safety.

Since her husband also had nerve damage in his feet and pain in his joints that made it hard for him to work, they got by through her work on nearby farms. "We managed," said Samah.

When the fighting came to their town in 2019, the family had to flee. "My children couldn't bear the situation, they were afraid of the sounds of the bombing," she said. 

They found a home in a refugee camp in the northern part of the country. It was a small apartment, just two rooms, a kitchen and bathroom but "it was better than a tent," she said.

Then came the earthquake in February 2023. "We were frightened," she said, noting their home was badly damaged.

Adding to their challenges, two of her disabled children died because Samah couldn't afford the medicine they needed. "I had no income at all," she said. "I suffered a lot, taking them from hospital to hospital so that I wouldn't blame myself on the day that I fell short with them."

Displaced once more, and with the grief from the loss of two children, they struggled to get by. Getting clean water was a challenge since the earthquake had damaged local infrastructure, including water pipes. Sanitation and hygiene facilities were also inadequate, leading to increased health risks for displaced people like Samah and her family.

Through assistance from the Canadian government through Humanitarian Coalition member World Vision, Samah and her family received health, water and sanitation help such as clean water and removing waste from the camp. Altogether, over 24,000 people benefitted from the assistance. Over 9,000 others received health support.

Samah and her family are thankful for the help. "Not only did this support help us through a difficult period but it gave me a glimmer of hope to push through life."