Help Young Syrians Affected By War

Dear friends,

As we are about to enter the festive season, we would like to thank you very much for your support. We are extremely grateful for your donations and for their contribution towards offering Syrian children the opportunity to access safety, education and a place where they can play and enjoy their childhood.

Our Peace Through Play project gives child refugees another chance for their future. Together with our local partners Basmeh and Zeitooneh, we work in refugee camps in Lebanon providing organised, therapeutic play sessions to help traumatised children to heal. We help them develop the skills necessary to build resilience to conflict and reduce their vulnerability to recruitment by violent extremist groups. Sessions include games, drama, music and art – creative ways for children to express difficult emotions. The sessions also involve playback theatre to encourage children to work through the trauma they have faced.

I want to share with you the story of A.R, a quiet and thoughtful 11-year-old boy, who hasn’t known peace or stability and whose confidence with others has been severely shaken over the years. He has been living in the overcrowded Shatila refugee camp for the last four years after fleeing to Lebanon in 2014. He recently started attending the peace play sessions. At the beginning, A.R. used to keep leaving the sessions and coming back, interrupting everyone and all activities. His only means of expression was through an aggressive behaviour and hitting those around him. He refused to take part in any activity and would go against anything that the facilitator suggested. After a few sessions, he started to arrive on time, participated in the activities, interacted with the children and the facilitators using words instead of violence. “After engaging in the Peace Play sessions, A.R. became happier. He is not shy anymore, he even made friends.”, says one of Basmeh and Zeitooneh’s facilitator. The dramatic change in A.R. shows that there is hope for these kids if they are given stability, laughter and experiences not tainted with trauma.

With your support, we provided the children living in Shatila refugee camp a safe space for them to play and be children again. We have been implementing this peace education programme since 2015 and have already helped 7000 children in the region.

We are now expanding in Tripoli and Bourj El Barajneh Lebanon where the need is crucial. Together with our partners, we are seeking funding to run these projects in 2019. So, as you are preparing for the holiday season, think of the gift you could make to these children. Any support will help! 

Building peace is a vital investment in the future. It takes time, sometimes decades, but with your help, we know it’s possible.

Once again, thank you for supporting our work.

Warm regards,

Maria Fiorio