“This is my favorite pajama, should I put it in the box too?” said Ehsan nine-year-old child, looking at his favorite piece of clothing. After a minute of thinking, he took it and put it in the donation’s box.
At an initiative from Wissam, the psychologist of Qudsaya village, children of the village gathered clothes to donate them for the children who were evacuated recently from besieged Eastern Ghouta. It is the weekend, and the village is like a beehive. Some children packing clothes, others sorting them by size, and another group helping their SOS mothers with ironing. Everyone works with enthusiasm, and wants to help the children who have suffered for many years in the besieged area of rural Damascus.
While packing, Luma, an SOS mother at the village, noticed the Pajama of Ehsan in one of the boxes, she looked around in search for him and found him working with his brothers in sealing some boxes. “Ehsan honey, can I have a word with you?” Called Luma. When he came, she told him that it was not necessary to give up this piece, because she knew how much he loves it. Ehsan looked at his SOS mother and said: “Mom, remember when I first came to the village, and how happy I was when you gave me clean nice clothes to wear?” “Yes sweetie I do remember.” “I know exactly how they feel now, and I want them to feel like I felt when I got clothes,” said Ehsan, as if it was the most normal thing to do. Luma hugged him and sent him back to help his brothers. “We want children in our care to be grateful for what they have, have empathy for children who are in need, and feel the happiness of helping others” said Wissam.
Despite having a family life in the SOS village, where they have everything they need, many of the children in SOS Children’s Villages care still remember how hard their life was before they came to the village, especially that number of them have been evacuated from besieged areas as well and have experienced difficult security and living conditions. They could feel and understand the pain these children are going through. By the evening, everything was ready and all boxes were gathered in the village activity room for the bus to take them the next day to the camp to be distributed to the children there.
The village children went to sleep early that night, very tired, yet very happy, happy and satisfied with their accomplishment. It is not about how many pieces they have donated, but how much love they have put into giving. In SOS Children’s Villages, we have different approaches to help children who lost parental care to overcome traumas and hardships they experienced, and we believe that there is a healing power behind giving that makes children feel happy and proud of themselves. Giving will make them know that they are not only children who suffered but who must be prepared to become responsible adults who will contribute in rebuilding the country again when the war is over.