Syrian Voices is our video series to share the personal stories of people affected by the crisis.
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By letting Syrians speak in their own words, Syrian Voices aims to help us all better understand the impact of the humanitarian crisis and share the lives, challenges, aspirations, strengths, and successes of the Syrian people.
Explore the diverse stories of Syrians affected by the crisis. From Dr. Osman al-Haj Osman who worked at a front-line hospital in Aleppo to the twelve-year-old gymnast Zeinab Shurom, the video series gives space to hear Syrians in their own words.
Click a profile image to navigate to each person's story.
A mother of five children, Am Malik and her family lived through bombings in Daraa before resetting in the United States.
Hazma al-Yousef is a member of the Syria Civil Defense, or the White Helmets, that works in urban search and rescue.
The war forced Faisal al-Mohammad to leave university. After, he joined the vaccination campaign against polio in Idlib.
Dr. Osman al-Haj Osman worked as a senior doctor at a front-line hospital in Aleppo that was regularly bombed.
Zeinab Shurom is a twelve-year-old gymnast that dreams of competing on the international stage.
Am Malik
A mother of five children, Am Malik and her family lived through frequent bombings in Daraa. They experienced tanks rumbling by their home and firing shells into the night. She and her family fled to Jordan in 2013 and ultimately resettled in the United States in 2016.
However, the remainder of her family stayed in Daraa, which again came under attack by the Syrian government in July 2018. Due to the bombardment, Am Malik has had no means of communication, and is uncertain of their fate.
Hazma al-Yousef
Hamza al-Yousef lives in the countryside outside the city of Aleppo in Syria with his wife and two young children. At thirty-one years old, Hamza al-Yousef volunteers for the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, a search-and-rescue organization that offers life-saving services to people after an attack.
"Our duty is to provide help to people and to act urgently," Hamza says, "and save someone's life who otherwise may die if they aren't helped immediately."
Faisal al-Mohammad
In 2015, Faisal al-Mohammad fled Aleppo city. The outbreak of the war and escalation of bombardments on the city by the Syrian government forced Faisal to abandon his studies in Aleppo. He fled southwest to the countryside of Idlib and found himself on a public health campaign to vaccinate children against polio.
The campaign was not without risk. Vaccinators faced shells, barrel bombs, and snipers—with four volunteers killed in 2014. Despite the security issues, Faisal helped vaccinate more than 4,000 children.
Dr. Osman al-Haj Osman
In 2012, Dr. Osman al-Haj Osman worked as a senior doctor at a front-line hospital in Aleppo, under bombardment by the Syrian government forces. At Dar al-Shifa hospital, Osman treated the people wounded by the warfare and bombardment by Syrian forces.
The Syrian government bombed the hospital six times between August and November 2012, claiming it was a "terrorist hideout," but provided no warning before the attack. The bombardment struck the hospital and the immediate vicinity at least eight times.
Zeinab Shurom
Zeinab Shurom started training for gymnastics at eight-years-old. Her interest in the sport started from watching videos on YouTube. Zeinab's father supported her interest in gymnastics. He opened a small sports center in central Aleppo, where children in their community could train with coaches.
In December 2016, the escalating war changed everything. Airstrikes killed some of her friends from school and gymnastics. After the airstrikes, she and her family fled to rural Aleppo, closing the sports center.
Eid al-Adha Greetings from Northern Syria
While Eid al-Adha is meant to be a joyous time of the year, in northern Syria, many families have been forced to spend the holiday in displacement. In Idlib alone, some 2.5 million people are having living under harsh conditions.
Residents in the suburbs of Idlib and Aleppo shared their reflections on living in displacement and separated from their families during the holiday. "So many people are displaced, so what kind of Eid is this?"