International Rescue Committee

Jumana: Before the conflict, we lived safely and comfortably. My husband was a taxi driver and he was the sole provider for the family. We left Ras el Ein because of the airstrikes—I was worried about my children’s safety. I had a heart condition, so first we went to Damascus, where I could get treatment. We had to leave after three months because we couldn’t continue staying in other people’s houses. We ended up at the camp. For the first week here, we had to sleep on the wet floor. It was winter and I would wrap the children in a big blanket so they wouldn’t get wet. That was before an organization brought us mattresses and blankets.

Yasser: My biggest fear is that we won’t ever be able to go back to Ras el Ein. Every single person in the world loves their hometown. When we had to flee, I cried; I didn’t want to leave. I miss everything about it.

Jumana: Yasser was a happy child before the conflict. He wasn’t lacking in anything. He would go to the park or the pool with his father. Here, there’s nothing like a park or pool and he has no friends. One day when we were in the market, he said that everyone there was just pretending to be happy. I told him, “Look, life goes on. They have shops and they are selling and buying. Life has to continue, it doesn’t stop for anyone.” He said “Really?” as if he didn’t believe me. I noticed his situation deteriorating with time.

Yasser: We often don’t have electricity or water. When I first arrived here, I wasn’t able to go to any kind of school. I was such a sad person—it wasn’t a nice feeling.

Jumana: In Ras el Ein, I enrolled Yasser in the cultural center because he loved music, dancing and acting. He used to perform plays on his own at home. That’s also where he started to love the buzuq.