In Syria, children are the main victims of explosive devices

Unbearable life in camp

I am a mother of ten. We have been displaced by armed violence, and we used to live in a tent in Khashab Camp for years. Last June, we decided to return to our home in Mura’ya village in Syria. Life in the camp had become unbearable. Even the water was scarce and bitter. We were exhausted from displacements, and after so many years, we longed to return to our land.

Contaminated village

But our return has brought us tragedy. My five-year-old son was playing outside our house when he found an explosive remnant of war. He did not know the danger. It exploded in his hands. Shrapnel pierced his head and his arm had to be amputated. We heard the explosion we rushed outside to find him bleeding. He is still in a hospital in Damascus with his father.

We live in fear

The contamination here is overwhelming. Every day we live in fear. Our children cannot go outside freely. We feel like prisoners in our own home, terrified that another accident will happen. I want my children to play, to laugh, to live without the shadow of death hanging over them.

Displaced multiple times

We have been displaced since 2011, moving from one hardship to another. My husband went back first and brought workers to rebuild our destroyed house. But it is slow and difficult. We have no electricity, and water is very limited. No aid reaches us because the area is so isolated. We are on our own.

The priority: to clear explosives

The most urgent need is to clear the explosives. Nothing is more important than this. Without this, we cannot rebuild our lives or feel safe in our own home. My children deserve to step outside without fear. They deserve a future where they can live and play safely.