The Syrian Struggles

Mahima Rahman

English 10 Honors
Mrs. Maldonado
17 March 2015

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Mahima Rahman
Mrs. Maldonado
English 10 Honors
17 March 2015
The Syrian Struggles
When regional conflict and violence against a government turns into a full-scale war,
people naturally flee. The people fleeing are called refugees. Refugees who escape their country
do not wish to return, fearing the loss of their life among the chaos. In 2011, the Syrian Civil War
began after opposition to the way the government ran got out of control. After a group of teens
painted rebellious slogans on public buildings and were arrested and tortured, the people of Syria
began protesting for pro-democracy (Hummer). Killings and riots continued to ensue until it
escalated into a civil war. Large numbers of people were being killed left and right. Countless
men, women, and children: all dead. Not soon after the war began, civilians began leaving the
country to escape the horror and pandemonium. This bloody civil war in Syria has left millions
without homes and the struggle to survive. All the adults and children who are left with nothing
need support to be safe, receive essential provisions, and most importantly, to survive. Every one
of these refugees has been through the perilous journey of leaving everything behind. Packing up
whatever was left, gathering their strength and courage for the trip ahead to somewhere
unknown; all hoping to go anywhere they could be safe and survive. They have been through the
struggle of arriving in a new country and fighting to survive with whatever family was left.
Many have received aid from national organizations and committees, yet many other refugees
remain, waiting to be helped.

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Shortly after the civil war erupted, people started leaving the country. At first, the number
of people escaping was not horrifyingly significant. Near the end of 2012, a little over 400,000
were reported to have fled (Yomtov 55). But as the war raged on with no signs of ending soon,
the numbers increased dramatically. Today, there are more than 3 million refugees in neighboring
countries and almost 7 million displaced within Syria (Hummer). Nearly all refugees had to go
through the task of leaving their country behind. Many of the men, women, and children often
wounded or injured climbed over razor-sharp wire fences to seek safety in the neighboring
countries (Yomtov 55). They had all lost their homes and even family. Their journey to find a
safe refuge was perilous and filled with little hope and increasing danger. Some have even been
killed when trying to cross borders to other countries. Between August and December 2013,
seventeen people were reportedly shot and killed at the Turkish border (Turkey: Border
Abuses). A lot of others were beaten and abused or were refused to let in. All had to walk for
miles with little food and water, some bearing the burden of young children. Death was not an
uncommon occurrence for those who gave up due to little or no help. Leaving the country was
just as risky and dangerous as staying, but the refugees had no other choice. It can be seen that
just escaping itself was a tremendous struggle for these unfortunate people.
Fleeing was not the end of the refugees problems. Now the real challenge began: trying
to rebuild their lives in the refugee camps in the new countries they had fled to. New challenges
and struggles awaited them. After crossing the borders to neighboring countries, the refugees
were shepherded into tents that were part of refugee camps. Many even live outside of camps
and struggle with poverty and other problems, such as living in the harsh cold weather without
heat, electricity, or proper plumbing (Meuse and Fordham). An excessive number of refugees are
also wounded and do not have the money to do surgery or get medical treatments. Work is hard

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to find due to fierce competition, and wages are extremely low. Paying the rent and buying food
to take care of the family is an extreme challenge. A seventeen-year-old child of one family who
wished to remain anonymous said, I used to just be a child now Im the head of the house
(Rudoren). For women and children, life is also wearisome. Several women are widows and face
many forms of harassment. Unfortunately, child labor is very common as well since many
families are poor and cannot find work. Because of having to find work at such a young age,
children receive no or little education since they cannot afford it (Shah and Botelho). Altogether,
these struggles make the possibility of surviving and having a good life hard for Syrian refugees.
Poor living conditions, little food and money, and other problems plague them as they fight to
stay alive. They need more help and support against these harsh circumstances.
A large number of different international organizations have sought out and helped the
hundreds of thousands of refugees in camps. They have provided clothing, food, and other basic
necessities. Even the U.S. has provided over 3 billion dollars in aid to Syria since 2011 (Welsh).
Organizations have taken care to provide infrastructure, like schools and markets. Despite the
worldwide help, there is not enough to help everyone, and many remain on the brink of death.
According to Turkish governments sources, only 15 percent of Syrian refugees outside official
camps receive assistance from humanitarian agencies and organizations (Turkey: Border
Abuses). Countries like Jordan and Lebanon are doing all they can to help refugees, except the
economies of these countries are weakening, and supporting refugees is becoming difficult and
more tedious. Also, as the war continues on, more people get displaced and more flee. The
number of refugees increases exponentially every year. Because of the huge number of refugees
sweeping into camps in neighboring countries, there are not enough resources to provide for
everyone. In fact, even the United Nations, one of the largest organizations aiding the refugees, is

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having trouble. For instance, they could not issue extra ration cards or provide oil for heaters to
camps this year as they had in the past (Meuse and Fordham). Their funding is drying up and try
as they might, what they are doing simply is not enough. Moreover, Syrian refugees are not
being ignored. Countless have received relief, but countless others remain, waiting for assistance
or not getting enough of it to survive. Much more support is needed.
Furthermore, the refugees have struggled immensely. The beginning of their tiring
journey with no help to escape the violence of the war was dangerous. Many died along the way;
others barely escaped with trailing dangers. After arriving at camps or new shelters, the fight to
survive in crowded living conditions with little food and not enough supplies overwhelmed them.
A large quantity of refugees received aid from international groups, but due to lack of resources
and space, a sheer amount of refugees await their unknown future. Between December 30 and
January 1, the United Nations counted 500,000 new refugees among the 3.8 million that fled
Syria to neighboring countries (Huber and Reid). There are not enough clothes, food, or
supplies to provide for the constant influx of refugees. As mentioned earlier, several
organizations are trying to solve this problem. One such nonprofit organization known as the
International Rescue Committee (IRC) has been aiding Syrian refugees in and out of Syria since
the war began. Hundreds of thousands of refugees have been relieved by them, and thousands
more continue to be aided. However, the number of refugees is constantly increasing, thus others
must donate to this organization and help the cause. It is not fair for the refugees to become
hopeless and suffer. They need help and support. As human beings, it is our job and
responsibility to help others in need. If we are able to, we must take part in helping others whose
lives have been torn apart. By wholeheartedly supporting the fight to help others overcome their
struggles, the despair and hopelessness felt by the devastated people will soon come to an end.

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Works Cited
Hummer, Liz. "Quick Facts: What You Need to Know about the Syria Crisis." Mercy Corps.
Mercy Corps, 13 Aug. 2013. Web. 23 Feb. 2015.
Meuse, Alison, and Alice Fordham. "Syrian Refugees Suffer Double Threat Of Severe Winter,
Less Aid." NPR. NPR, 9 Jan. 2015. Web. 23 Feb. 2015.
Rodgers, Lucy, David Gritten, James Offer, and Patrick Asare. "Syria: The Story of the Conflict."
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
Rudoren, Jodi. "A Lost Generation: Young Syrian Refugees Struggle to Survive." The New York
Times. The New York Times, 08 May 2013. Web. 23 Feb. 2015.
Rudoren, Jodi. "Syrian Refugees Struggle at Zaatari Camp." The New York Times. The New York
Times, 08 May 2013. Web. 23 Feb. 2015.
Shah, Khushbu, and Greg Botelho. "'We Had to Adapt': Syrian Refugees Inject Fresh Life,
Business into Camp." CNN. Cable News Network, 19 Feb. 2015. Web. 23 Feb. 2015.
"Turkey: Border Abuses and Destitution Aggravating Plight of Syria Refugees." Amnesty
International. Amnesty International, 20 Nov. 2014. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
Welsh, Teresa. "The Challenge of the Syrian Refugee Response." US News. U.S. News & World
Report, 9 Jan. 2015. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Yomtov, Nel. Syria. New York: Childrens, 2014.