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| Map of SOS in Syria. Photo from SOS Archives |
April 7, 2011: The two SOS Children’s Villages in
Syria remain unaffected by the violence between anti-government protesters and security forces. SOS Village Qodsaya lies in a quiet suburb about five miles west of the capital, Damascus. SOS Village Aleppo is located in Syria’s second largest city of the same name. Aleppo has been calm so far.
Inspired by anti-government actions across the Middle East that began in Tunisia in January, protesters have been demonstrating against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad since mid-March. Estimates of protesters killed (most by gunshot wounds) range between 123 and 173, based on reports by human rights groups.
SOS Mothers and children in Syria are relieved to be safe from the violence. For the most part, they are engaged in normal daily life. Shops and banks are open, and public services such as transportation and provision of gas and electricity are operating as usual. Households in SOS Family Strengthening Programs are also in the clear.
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| SOS children playing on the playground in Syria. Photo by Rafif Ben Messalem |
Several Weeks of Protests
The demonstrations started in the southern town of Dara’a and recently spread to the port city of Latakia and to Hassakeh in the northeast. President Bashar al-Assad accepted the resignation of his cabinet on March 29. However, so far he is not implementing reforms the pro-democracy demonstrators are demanding, and violence against them continues.
On April 5, democracy advocates who are part of a Facebook group rallied for what they’re calling “a week of martyrs” - further protests to honor those who have died at the hands of security forces. The Facebook group, called The Syrian Revolution 2011, has more than 100,000 members, according to The New York Times.
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| Two SOS girls from Syria. Photo from SOS Archives |
In Syria for Three Decades
SOS has been caring for vulnerable children in Syria since 1981, when it opened the SOS Village in Qodsaya. A second SOS Children’s Village, in Khan El Assal, near Aleppo, welcomed children in 1998. An SOS community outreach program in Darayya, a Damascus suburb, provides meals for single mothers and their children as well as vocational training for women and young people to give them the necessary skills for future jobs.
Help SOS ensure the safety of innocent children throughout the Middle East and other parts of the world affected by political turmoil. For as little as $12 a month, you can become an SOS Global Village Builder and make the dream of a home and a loving family come true for children in need.
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