Out of the Rubble
The destruction of earthquakes and conflict through the eyes of Syria's children
More than twelve years of destructive conflict in Syria has hit those who are least responsible the hardest – the nation’s children. Half of Syria’s children have grown up knowing nothing but conflict and displacement, facing fear and uncertainty.
The earthquakes that struck the Türkiye-Syria border, along the North West of the country in February this year, were yet another devastating blow for families.
Save the Children and our Syrian NGO partners have worked with children in North East and North West Syria to capture their environment and take photos that would allow them to show the rest of the world their reality and share their hopes and dreams for the future.
The images contrast neighbourhoods shattered by the earthquake in Idlib with those destroyed in the conflict in Raqqa. They highlight the devastated infrastructure surrounding children across Syria today. In both contexts, children's hopes and dreams share a common thread – the possibility to imagine a life without destruction and a future with an opportunity beyond conflict.
Scroll to view the child-led photography exhibition.
This series was curated for the Brussels VII Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region.
Note: All text written in italics are direct quotes from children.
*Names have been changed to protect identity.
North West Syria: Earthquake
On the 6th of February, a series of devastating earthquakes hit Türkiye and North West Syria. In Syria alone, 8.8 million people were impacted, including 3.7 million children.
Families are still trying to piece their lives back together. Children’s homes, hospitals and schools have been reduced to rubble. Many are living in overcrowded camps or shelters, without enough food, safe water, toilets or washing facilities.
The emotional impact of this crisis continues to take its toll on children, with many unable to sleep and showing signs of stress and anxiety.
Take a look at the photos from children in North West Syria that show the rest of the world their reality and their hopes and dreams for the future.
Firyal*
Firyal*, 17, has been greatly affected by the earthquake emotionally; she is afraid of losing loved ones and waking up to find them gone. She's also worried that her dreams might not come true, wondering if she'll ever see Syria recovering.
When I captured this photo, I felt the remanence of a home. You feel that there was once a home here that has a soul, things, and people living in it who loved one another and enjoyed life.
This photo resembles our hopes and dreams in Syria. We as Syrian children live like this and are used to such sceneries. This scene is very familiar to our eyes. I wish to see Syria safe and peaceful, where children can live their full rights. My hope for the future is to see Syria being rebuilt.
Bana*
Bana*, 17, says that the earthquake has affected her emotionally as she easily scares from any noise in the house, and on most days, she cannot sleep till after 4:00 am, which is the time when the first earthquake hit on February 6. Bana aspires to resume her education and hopes she avoids the need to leave Syria to do that given the challenges education faces in her country.
I took this photo and has the phrase ‘don’t forget about us’, because we are already an afflicted country, even before the earthquake. My message in this photo is to let people know that we are here, we are alive, and we have the right like every other person to live our lives normally.
I imagined that this house used to belong to a family that lived in peace and were sleeping when the earthquake hit, and woke up to find the rubble on top of them. This house used to hold the memories [of the family], their problem, sadness, happiness, and everything they love. I feel that there is so much hopelessness within us, and at any given moment we can lose everything we love.
Lina*
Lina*, a 17-year-old girl from Idlib, is facing challenges in her final year of high school due to the earthquake that destroyed her home and emotionally affected her. For the past three months, she had to live in camps, neglecting her studies. Lina remains hopeful for the future and is determined to complete her education to contribute to the revival of Syria.
I saw the sunlight coming through the windows, and I felt that there is hope coming into this house despite the destruction. There is still hope and light, and there’s renewal and rebuilding coming our way. My biggest fear for the future is that I won’t be able to make my dreams come true. I’m scared I won’t be able to finish my education in this situation. I’m scared and I keep thinking about my education, my future, will I be able to go to university?
The plants and greenery resemble the life that was growing in this house, people have put hope and happiness into their home, but it was all suddenly lost in a second.
Our response to the earthquake
Save the Children is responding, with our local partners, to provide lifesaving assistance in both Türkiye and Syria.
In Syria, Save the Children is responding in earthquake-affected governorates and is delivering aid through thirteen local partners. With our partners, we are making sure children and their families can keep clean, healthy and protected from illness and disease. We are:
- Providing emergency food rations, blankets, tents and warm clothing.
- Providing safe drinking water, and essential hygiene and sanitation items.
- Providing cash to families who have lost their homes and belongings so they can buy food, medicine and other essentials.
- Providing psychosocial support services and setting up safe spaces for children.
- Helping children and their families to access health services.
- Supporting children to continue learning by distributing learning materials and setting up safe learning environments.
North East Syria: Conflict
Across all of Syria, children have been living through conflict for 12 years.
Half of all children in Syria have grown up knowing nothing but conflict and crisis. Even before the devastating earthquakes in February 2023, more than 15.3 million were in need of humanitarian assistance – including 7 million children.
Many have lived in areas where basic services are almost non-existent and the infrastructure they relied on has been decimated. The economic deterioration, currency collapse and price rises have contributed to a situation in which there are humanitarian needs in every single part of Syria today.
Take a look at the photos from children in North East Syria that show the rest of the world their reality and their hopes and dreams for the future.
Wafaa*
Wafaa*, 19, describes how she saw her city when her family returned to Raqqa for the first time after their displacement.
The devastating impact of the conflict was evident everywhere, with demolished houses and schools. I like taking pictures with people and life in them because that gives me hope that everything will be fine again. I hope the war ends in Syria and we return to our normal life and to our schools and that every child who has been deprived of education to return to schools.
Ahmad*
14-year-old Ahmad* revisited his childhood neighbourhood which is still under the rubble. To his surprise, numerous families are still living there.
This used to be my neighborhood. When we returned [after displacement], we couldn’t stay here. It was too dangerous because of all the destruction and the rubble so we moved to another part of the city. We were lucky to have the means to move as there are a lot of families still living there. I hope no family in Raqqa has to live under the rubble anymore."
Amani*
Amani*, aged 23, feels a profound sense of sorrow for the children in her neighbourhood who did not have the same opportunity to attend the same school as her. As a result, some of them are now compelled to go to faraway schools, while many are forced to abandon their education altogether.
This was my elementary school and where I started my learning journey. It used to bring all our neighborhood’s girls together. I have so many sweet memories in it. It aches my heart to see it destroyed like this. I hope schools are rebuilt and children have the chance to continue education.
Yara*
Yara*, now 19, returned to a destroyed house, school, and neighborhood, following her family’s displacement journey that lasted for five years, forcing her to drop out of school.
Having to see destroyed buildings five years on [after the conflict ended in Raqqa] reminds me of the day when the bombardment on Raqqa started.
I hope that my city will recover and return to its former self from which I was forced to flee when I was a little girl.
I remember being on the roof of our house watching houses and buildings being bombed and feeling terrified.
Muhannad*
Muhannad*, who is now 16 years old, carries the indelible memories of destruction that have become part and parcel of his recollection of his hometown.
Whenever I think of Raqqa, I remember destruction. I have no memories of the city without destruction. I long for Raqqa to return to its previous state, which my parents described as 'beautiful and free from destruction'.
Amin*
Amin*, now 16, was only five when the conflict forced his family to leave their hometown in Raqqa. The destruction affected not only his house but also the houses of many of his relatives and his childhood's best friend, Ahmad*.
I like to take pictures of destroyed buildings that have trees next to them. When we returned to Raqqa after the conflict, we looked for our house for a couple of hours before we could find it. Destruction was everywhere and the city was unrecognizable. We were able to identify our house thanks to a tree we had in front of it. Therefore, trees represent hope for me. I hope that all people who left Raqqa can return one day.
Our response to the conflict
Save the Children have been there for children since the start of the crisis in 2012. Together with our partners, we have reached 4.2 million people, including 2.6 million children.
With our partners, we work to ensure that every child in Syria survives, learns and is protected. We:
- Provide emergency and lifesaving support, and help restore basic services for children and their families.
- Support health care facilities and hospitals, and education facilities.
- Provide food and nutrition support to ensure children are healthy and well-nourished.
- Help families to find sustainable incomes to meet their needs.
- Provide mental health and psychosocial support for the most marginalised and vulnerable children, including unaccompanied and separated children.
- Reunite children that have been separated from their families.
- Advocate for children's needs and their communities to be at the heart of recovery.
No child should have their dreams buried in the rubble.
Following the deadly earthquakes, a return to the status quo is not an option for children and their families across Syria. They desperately need a shift in the response.
Save the Children is calling on the international community to reimagine the approach to the Syria Crisis, in a way which prioritises a longer-term vision that can improve children’s well-being and support their hopes and dreams.
A little bit more on what Save the Children are doing. Read more about our work in Syria.
Please donate to our Children's Emergency Fund and help children living in crisis in countries like Syria.
Our Children's Emergency Fund allows us to respond wherever the need is greatest. It helps us to reach children quickly with the essentials they need to survive.
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