SYRIA - Youth care – December 12 2017

Hanan is a 20 years old young lady who have lived in SOS Children’s Village Qudsaya. She had good grades in high school, which allowed her to pursue Chemistry studies in Damascus University. In addition to studying scientific subjects in school, Hanan also has a passion for languages like Japanese, and English, that she learns in a private institute in parallel to her university studies.

The story of Hanan within SOS started when her aunt brought her to SOS village with her siblings at the age of three, after her parents’ divorce. It was very hard for the little Hanan to understand what was happening with her family. She was sad to see her mother getting married again and leaving the country. However, the most sorrowing was her father’s death. “I was only three years old but I can still recall happy memories from the time we were all living together, with our Baba & Mama” said Hanan and smiled.

Like any other child, who experienced such hardship, Hanan was sad and silent during her first days in the village, but her SOS mother Norhan was very nice and kind to her. As the days passed, a strong and special relationship was built between Hanan and her SOS mother, who helped her to be self-reliant; which armed Hanan to build a strong and confident personality.

One day, while Hanan was walking in the village she noticed a basketball playground and since that time, she became very passionate about the game, and started playing it regularly. Because of her perseverance and regular training, she participated in several competitions and won different prizes.

Today, Hanan is semi-independent and she lives with her SOS sisters, Hala and Nour, in Damascus with the needed support that SOS Children’s Village provides until youth under their care graduate, find a job and become independent people.

Hanan is very aware of the contribution a young person can bring to his/her community, thus she helps her surroundings by volunteering for the Red Crescent and teaching English for children in the village. Being a very ambitious person, Hanan already prepared many plans for the future. Her life dream is to visit many countries around the world, especially Japan, which civilization and culture fascinate her, and which for her represents an ideal example of a country’s development path.

Moreover, she hopes to be a perfect translator in addition to her main work in a chemical laboratory. “I want to be a successful woman in the future and to make my SOS mother proud of me. Actually, my biological mother started visiting me recently when she comes to Damascus, and I am okay with that, but mama Norhan will stay my beloved mother forever. She and my SOS siblings, were my lovely family, we care about each other very much”, she continued excitedly. Like all children in SOS Children’s Village, Hanan had many sponsors who were always in touch with her through visits or messages through which they share stories about their life and children with her; she still keeps their letters wishing for them to be safe and to have a happy life. Likewise, Hanan’s dearest wish for the world is to live a day where no child is left without parental care. Unfortunately, many children live in very hard conditions, without a biological family that cares for them, or an alternative family that loves them, such as SOS Children’s Village that cares and supports children to have a happy childhood and become effective persons in the society.