GUFRAN AL- HABIS

Aleppo- Arab Spring, a series of pro-democracy protests and uprisings that took place in the Middle East in 2010, could not meet the demands of the people for democracy and freedom. In 2011, the protests and uprisings spread across Syria. Although the ongoing political instability in Syria and the Turkish attacks cause uncertainty for the people about the future, the revolution in Rojava and ongoing popular uprisings keep hope alive.

Huriye Süleyman, a 60-year-old woman of Aleppo, is one of the women trying to hold on to life despite her painful experiences. She struggles to survive with her 12 children, believing that there is still hope for the future.

“Due to the Syrian crisis and the ongoing bombardment on Aleppo, we left our homes, our dreams and the streets of our city and went to a village far from the city,” said Huriye Süleyman, whose husband, who worked as a driver, went missing in 2014. “Since then, we have received no information about him. I looked for him everywhere.” Huriye thought that her husband might be arrested and she borrowed money from her relatives and hired a lawyer; however, the lawyer was a fraudster.

‘I decided to work’

Huriye Süleyman has been struggling to survive alone for her children for 10 years. “Whenever my children asked for something, I felt a stabbing pain in my heart. My children were not aware of the situation that we were going through. I had to stand firm for my children. Although I had a pain in my heart, I decided to work. I started working at a factory. Now, my children also support me.”

Her two sons killed in a clash

Talking about when they left Aleppo, she said, “We fled without taking anything. I expected that my family and neighbors would help us; however, I was left alone.”

The biggest challenge that I experienced was not being able to pay the school fees of my children, she said. “Then, my children decided to learn a profession and tried to find a source of income to help me. I lost two of my sons in a clash that took place in 2019.”

She never loses her hope

Huriye Süleyman is not the only woman suffering from the ongoing war in Syria; many women suffer from the war, loss and struggle to survive. “I will do my best to overcome all the difficulties I face until I can secure a future for my children. I will keep struggling to meet their needs without receiving any help from anyone,” said Huriye Süleyman, who still believes that her husband will return home one day.