Since its onset in March 2011, the Syrian civil war has grown into a devastating humanitarian crisis, irreparably damaging the lives of millions of youth across the region. Like three million other child refugees, Sayed lost both his home and family to the horrors of war. Left with only the clothes on his back and nowhere to turn, he was reduced to living in a makeshift shelter composed of garbage bags. Without food or water, he travelled for days, following the crowds of people through the blistering desert heat in an effort to survive.

No child should be afraid to go to school because of the way they were born, but in many areas of the world, growing up with a physical disability can mean facing intense bullying and social exclusion from your peers. 

Three of the young orphan children we work with – Kiara, who is blind, and Demarcus and Demetrius, who are hearing-impaired – were afraid to attend school or even leave their homes due to constant bullying from their classmates.

Growing up in a refugee camp and living in extreme poverty, Francis dreamed of gaining an education to improve his economic status and one day provide for his family. He lacked access to educational resources, but was determined to change their daily focus from what they could eat tomorrow to, somehow, building a better future.

Sue’s story is one of resilience and recovery, demonstrating that helping the weakest in our community makes us stronger as a whole. Two years ago, Sue found the strength within herself to leave an abusive relationship for the sake of her newborn child.
 
As a single mother, she struggled to provide her family with the clothes and necessities they so badly needed. Through our food bank and support programs, we were able to give her and her child the material and emotional support they needed while she attempted to regain control of her life.

At first glance, Mickey may seem like any other 5-year-old boy: happy and healthy, with the whole world before him. However, Mickey is not like every other child.

Nour grew up in a low-income neighbourhood. Her home had no heat, and her family didn’t have enough warm clothes or food for the winter. Now she’s 19 years old and has two children. She recently left an abusive relationship that led her to attempt suicide twice. Nour is a survivor.

Deja is a 12-year-old girl who dreamed for years of attending a real-life ballet. On December 7, she was given the chance to see The Nutcracker, performed by the National Ballet of Canada. As a young girl who is passionate about music and dance, Deja’s heart leapt and her imagination was set alight as she watched Corps de Ballet member Calley Skalnik emerge from a golden egg as the Sugar Plum Fairy and dance across the stage to the music of The Nutcracker Suite. 

Shelly spends two hours walking to and from school each day. She’s only 14 years old, and has more responsibilities than most girls her age. Along with one thousand other students, she spends several hours at school before the next group of students arrives to use the classrooms. After school, she heads to a nearby marketplace to sell vegetables to help her family make ends meet.