Returning Home After Years of Displacement in Syria: A Journey of Devastation and Hope
Published: Dec 18, 2024 Reading time: 5 minutes
During the past thirteen years of war millions of Syrians have faced unimaginable suffering. Hundreds of thousands have lost loved ones, entire cities have been destroyed and millions have been forced to flee their homes and go either abroad or to other parts of country. After the change of regime, some returned home to former government-controlled areas to visit with the families and friends they have not seen for years. What did they find? Read the story of Ahmad, who visited his home for the first time after eight years.
Read about how we have been helping in Syria since 2012.
I headed to Hama the day after the opposition forces entered it. Heading from Sarmada on the border to Hama, I had mixed feelings of anticipation, disbelief, and joy. It was devastating going through the villages and towns near the M5 highway. The level of destruction in places like Saraqib, Maaret Numan, and Morek was shocking.
On the way, many vehicles were heading in the same direction. I suppose they, like me, were rushing to see their homes and families. I think I was going too fast on the road. It felt like I needed to get out of my car and run to get there. On the sides of the road, there were many abandoned military vehicles and tanks.
According to UN, over 880,000 people have become newly displaced in Syria since the start of the escalation of hostilities on November 27, 2024. Over 225,000 internally displaced persons have returned home, mostly to places in the Hama and Aleppo governorates.
I couldn’t stop myself from crying
When I was close to my home, my heart started beating faster and when I arrived I couldn’t stop myself from crying. It was a joy to be back, a relief of all the stress and anxiety, and sadness of the hard days we endured. I’m not sure what the coming days hide for us but you could see hope in the eyes of the Syrian people.
As I entered Hama and wandered around, what caught my attention – in addition to the people’s joy – was the paleness on their faces. They looked exhausted after years of suffering. As I entered my town in Hama northern countryside, it did not seem much different from the last time I was there.
The destroyed houses were still the same. It saddened me to see the tired faces of people who embraced us in joy, with pale smiles on their lips. It was not only the houses that were destroyed, but also the souls of the people.
Difficult new beginnings
The economic situation in the areas that were under the former regime seemed dire, as people there struggled to secure the most basic necessities in light of the decline in wages and the scarcity of job opportunities. When I returned to my hometown, I was excited to see my family and friends.
The joy of meeting them was indescribable, but it seemed to be tainted with sadness as I saw their tragic living conditions. I was shocked to see my friend, a teacher, who could not afford heating for his family. It was not surprising considering his salary did not exceed $35 a month.
I couldn’t help but notice the joy on the faces of displaced people on their way to their villages after a long absence. I saw it in people’s eyes and in the laughter of children looking out of car windows on the roads crowded with people heading home. However, many of them would not be able to return home permanently due to the challenges they would face.
One of the major difficulties many faced were the completely or even partially destroyed houses. In some cases, even entire towns and villages were completely gone. Many did not have a home to return to. Additionally, the infrastructure of schools, hospitals, running water, and electricity networks was also a major reason for delaying their return home. And finally, many people had to worry about going back to a place with no livelihood opportunities ahead.
Despite all the challenges and worries I encountered when I visited my hometown, the feeling of joy and hope was overwhelming, and I believe that this was the feeling of every returnee I met. I slept that night under the roof of my partially destroyed house. That night was the first night I had slept soundly and deeply in years without anxiety or nightmares. The feeling of security and reassurance that the walls of that house gave me was like a gentle touch on my exhausted heart. Inshallah, the future will surely be brighter.
People in Need in Syria:
• Since 2012, we have been actively engaged in northern Syria, leading hundreds of relief and recovery programmes.
• In 2023, we provided humanitarian assistance to almost a million people and delivered €67 million in aid.
• We employ approximately 600 people at our Country Programme in Syria, primarily national staff.
• In education, we support 80 schools and learning centres with over 50,000 students in northern Syria with a wide range of support, including catch-up, remedial, and psychosocial support classes.
• In the food security sector, we maintain a monthly caseload of 28,000 people across catchment areas, including challenging-to-access regions.
• We have extensive experience implementing cash-based interventions such as emergency and monthly Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance, Food and Non-Food Item vouchers (for paper and electronics), and winterisation cash grants.
• Regarding livelihood, we support 1,800 people mainly with business grants and cash-for-work opportunities. At the same time, 1,500 are part of our self-help groups, which work to provide women and other marginalised community members with access to micro-enterprise start-up loans from the pooled savings fund of members.
