Syrians Still Struggle to Obtain Education, Shelter & Basic Human Rights

THP spoke with a Syrian Student about their experience living in the country over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic. They chose to remain anonymous for their own protection.

’’[In the UK we've seen images and reports of the continued violence and fighting throughout Syria, even during this pandemic. Can you describe your experience of living, studying and working while there's this wider national conflict continuing?]

‘’It has been painful. There is no hope in this country. I mean, I was able to go to school. I finished my education. But there are many other students out there who lost their parents. Whose schools are now destroyed. Even I moved out from my old home to a new place, just because of the war. My old home now is destroyed completely. My old school and my old friends are gone. I mean, it has always been painful to live here. Painful for years and years. Why? I mean, why [do we have to] go through all this, at such a young age?

Education here is bad. I studied I learned English by myself watching movies and songs. Here, you can't learn anything. The things I learned from the novels and books I was reading on the bus on my way to school, through those 12 years, has helped me help me in my daily life much more than that my whole 12 years of studying at school.

And my conditions are much, much, much better than most. If you go to the countryside…I can't even describe it. The people are suffering from hunger. They don't even go to school. They don't have dreams. Their only dream is to receive basic human rights. So when I see that, I feel like I am such a lucky one. I finished my education. I have a flat to live in. I have a bed to go to at night. My parents are still alive. My family's still together. So as sad as it sounds, it's a blessing.

[Was it always like that?]

No, it wasn't like that. I mean, my parents tell me about their education, their lives, before the war, it was not like that. It was a good one. I can’t see things getting back to where they were. Not for a long time.

[If you could give a message to the rest of the world, what would you say?]

‘’I mean, I can’t put it all in one message. I can’t describe all the help we need here. This country is hopeless and helpless. We need help. I mean, why sanctions? Why these things? You're not doing anything to help us. You're making everything worse and harder. I wish other countries would help.

I don't want to be a negative person, but I'm really hopeless here. I don't know what to say.

[From what you said, it sounds like there's not a lot of hope in Syria at the moment. Is that accurate to say?]

You're right. I mean, Anyone my age. Any teen here, or even a college student here, if you ask them, ‘What are their ambitions and dreams?’ they will answer you 'immediately going out of here'. Or travelling out of Syria. I'm sorry. I'm not different from them. My ambition is to get a scholarship and get out of here. I am working on it. I messaged many colleges from all around the world. I even don't care where to go. Any place out of here.

Because as I said, there's no hope here. There is no good education here. I hope one day Syria will become that place that I can call home, but I don't think that will happen in the next 20 years, at least.

[Have you ever called Syria home?]

No, I've never had any sense of belonging to this place. Unfortunately. I'm not happy saying that. Yeah.

[Why is it that you've not felt a sense of belonging?]

When you grow up and at a very young age, you move from one home to another, watching your parents going through economic crisis and conflict, the kind of connection between you and this place goes. The only thing that makes me feel that I belonged to here is just the memories. The laughs. The cries that I have gone through here. Just them. I can't call this place a home or feel that I belong to here. Not even to the people here.’'