On a hillside in Damascus, a disused shop with a floor space of four square metres is now home to a family of six. Three generations from the one family live and sleep in one room. It is a far cry from the life they previously enjoyed. The family breadwinner was a trained blacksmith, his income insured they were relatively well off. They were people of means who owned their own house in a small town outside the capital.
The raging conflict forced them to quickly abandon their home in early 2013.They left behind their friends and everything they had built up together. They could only take with them the few merge possessions they could carry in bags. They dream that they can soon return to the life they had. But, the reality is that their previous home is now most likely little more than rubble.
There are few work opportunities for a blacksmith in the city and food inflation is a major concern across Syria. Resources are rapidly depleting not only for displaced families, but also for those who support them. Therefore, a nominal rent is paid whenever possible to a distant relative who owns the disused shop.
With three children under the age of six, and an aging grandmother, this family and others like them are grateful for the support receive from the community. This video shows how SOS Children’s Villages is supporting the family and the community where the blacksmith’s wife is US$12 away from what is a dream to her.