It’s difficult to imagine what Maria* has been through. But the lines on her face tell stories of deep sadness and grief.
Maria has three sons and a daughter who were raised in Aleppo, Syria – a city now famous for the images of war and devastation that have crossed our TV screens. Their family home was located on the most devastated street in the district. Now it’s just a collection of rubble, empty explosives and underground tunnels.
Fresh in the minds of Syrians is the history of their people in the time of the Ottoman empire. Her grandparents told of massacre, rape and the killing of the elderly and children – and so for Maria and the residents of Aleppo it feels like history has been repeated.
Maria says of the most recent conflict: “I was like the dead, me and my children were so worried. We had no place to go and hide, our house and the houses of our relatives were all in the same area, and the danger was increasing, especially as the militants approached our areas. Gradually the militants were taking over and people were fleeing either to areas where the regular army was stationed, or to Turkey, trying to get to Europe.
One difficult night, militants hurled missiles at our region. The earth shook like an earthquake, and the shouting and crying went on. The boys were crying. The army launched several counter attacks and we took the opportunity and fled. One of the Armenian schools opened its doors to receive us- most of our neighborhood hid in the cellar there. It was a terrible week.
In the end, the neighborhood in which our house was located was turned into a contactless area, covered with fire by a sniper who killed anyone approaching that area. And here, our difficulties increased. After several months, we could no longer live in the school’s cellar as it had no heating or facilities and a relative of my husband allowed us to stay with him. It was in a dangerous area but better than where we lived.
But our grief increased. My husband got shot by a sniper. People from the neighborhood found him lying on the ground. The medics took him to the hospital but when we got there we were told that he had died. It was such a shock, my children were still very young and I am not well – I am a diabetic, sick with heart disease and high blood pressure. I was in desperate need.
Maria and her children have now moved and she’s so thankful to be no longer living under the shells and to be receiving food aid. ‘Poverty has tired me. I dream of the food pack. I try to use every (bit of food) I have and I am so happy with the different things that are offered to me.”
The situation in Aleppo is still dire but things have improved for this family with food provisions from Ordinary Heroes’™ partner. Maria cried when she had the opportunity to thank the workers who have made her food aid packages possible. What a privilege to be able to support people like Maria as she grapples with all the trauma and pain she has experienced and create a little relief in her time of need.
*Name has been changed
Maria’s Story
It’s difficult to imagine what Maria* has been through. But the lines on her face tell stories of deep sadness and grief.
Maria has three sons and a daughter who were raised in Aleppo, Syria – a city now famous for the images of war and devastation that have crossed our TV screens. Their family home was located on the most devastated street in the district. Now it’s just a collection of rubble, empty explosives and underground tunnels.
Fresh in the minds of Syrians is the history of their people in the time of the Ottoman empire. Her grandparents told of massacre, rape and the killing of the elderly and children – and so for Maria and the residents of Aleppo it feels like history has been repeated.
Maria says of the most recent conflict: “I was like the dead, me and my children were so worried. We had no place to go and hide, our house and the houses of our relatives were all in the same area, and the danger was increasing, especially as the militants approached our areas. Gradually the militants were taking over and people were fleeing either to areas where the regular army was stationed, or to Turkey, trying to get to Europe.
One difficult night, militants hurled missiles at our region. The earth shook like an earthquake, and the shouting and crying went on. The boys were crying. The army launched several counter attacks and we took the opportunity and fled. One of the Armenian schools opened its doors to receive us- most of our neighborhood hid in the cellar there. It was a terrible week.
In the end, the neighborhood in which our house was located was turned into a contactless area, covered with fire by a sniper who killed anyone approaching that area. And here, our difficulties increased. After several months, we could no longer live in the school’s cellar as it had no heating or facilities and a relative of my husband allowed us to stay with him. It was in a dangerous area but better than where we lived.
But our grief increased. My husband got shot by a sniper. People from the neighborhood found him lying on the ground. The medics took him to the hospital but when we got there we were told that he had died. It was such a shock, my children were still very young and I am not well – I am a diabetic, sick with heart disease and high blood pressure. I was in desperate need.
Maria and her children have now moved and she’s so thankful to be no longer living under the shells and to be receiving food aid. ‘Poverty has tired me. I dream of the food pack. I try to use every (bit of food) I have and I am so happy with the different things that are offered to me.”
The situation in Aleppo is still dire but things have improved for this family with food provisions from Ordinary Heroes’™ partner. Maria cried when she had the opportunity to thank the workers who have made her food aid packages possible. What a privilege to be able to support people like Maria as she grapples with all the trauma and pain she has experienced and create a little relief in her time of need.
*Name has been changed