Do you remember where you were when you first saw the picture of Alan Kurdi last year? Alan was the 3-year old Syrian refugee who drowned five minutes into a 30-minute boat ride while trying to escape from Turkey to Greece with his family. The photo of his washed-up tiny body lying face-down along the shore caused international bereavement and shock.
My youngest son was 2 years old at the time and I remember feeling haunted by the image of this faceless boy, constantly wondering what perils his mother must have had to suffer while attempting to flee her war-ravaged country. Like many people, I lamented and donated money and prayed and held my babies close. Then the video of Omran Daqneesh went viral this past summer, and I just didn’t think I had the strength to bear witness. The short clip shows the stunned 5-year old boy covered in ash and blood, only moments after he was rescued from rubble caused by an airstrike in Aleppo. There is chaos and destruction all around him, but his face is otherworldly — which to me was always more horrifying to see than the blood and dust that covered him.
I’ve been reminded of these innocent children — and the countless others whose names never made it to the headlines — as news of the atrocities in Aleppo have shocked the world this week. Right at this very minute, there are an estimated 100,000 civilians trapped in between militant rebels and the Syrian regime as they fight to get control of Aleppo, the second largest city in Syria. With no safe passage to escape, they are being slaughtered simply for being in the line of fire while the international community at-large watches in horror.
As I’ve read the headlines this week, I’ve thought many times of that beautiful Fred Rogers quote that often pops up in times of tragedy: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’
It’s true that part of the tragedy surrounding the Syrian conflict has had to do with the fact that much of the world has sat idly by — either unable or unwilling to intervene. But there have been helpers, even amid the tragedy. They are known as the White Helmets.
These brave, altruistic helpers began as a small group of everyday Syrians who started volunteering as first responders in the most dangerous parts of the country. Their goal? To save as many civilians as they possibly could. The volunteers consist of people from all walks of life, from painters and doctors to engineers and carpenters — who all go unarmed into the most conflict-laden areas of Syria to help.
This five-year civil war has displaced an estimated 11 million Syrians, who have fled as refugees to other countries while trying to escape the violence. But another 6.6 million innocent civilians still remain within the war-torn country — and those who reside in the city of Aleppo face the gravest danger.
For many in Aleppo, their only hope right now are the 2,800 White Helmets working tirelessly to help those that could not escape. And make no mistake, their efforts have not been small: Estimates show that about 40,000 people have been rescued by the White Helmets to date. In the process, some 141 White Helmets have lost their lives.
If you feel helpless watching the news from Aleppo, remember you can donate to the White Helmets (@syriacivildef): https://t.co/TLVWXhwOX2 pic.twitter.com/0Eu6FX4R50
— Stephanie Boland (@stephanieboland) December 13, 2016
Remember that video about Omran? He was saved by a White Helmet; a volunteer who ran into the rubble after an airstrike with the sole purpose of pulling out as many people as he could. The efforts of this small but mighty group are incredible, and the selfless work they do day in and day out has not gone unnoticed. Earlier this year, Netflix released a gripping documentary about the group that chronicled their daily bravery; and they were even contenders for the Noble Peace Prize.
It’s uplifting, to say the least, watching this group of heroes work tirelessly to assist the most vulnerable victims of this war. Yet it’s hard not to think of their sacrifice and wonder why this war — and the staggering amount of lives it has claimed — has even been allowed to get to this point.
There have been numerous articles written about how the refugee crisis in Syria will one day be compared to the Holocaust. And while the war in Syria differs in that it isn’t an attempt at the extinction of an entire race, I imagine our guilt will be more staggering — because unlike the 1940s, we have not been blind to the atrocities there. Considering the extent of social media coverage we now have, we cannot pretend to have been unaware of the tragedies unfolding each day. It’s important to remember that the greatest documentarian of the Holocaust, Anne Frank, could have been alive — and 77 years old today — had she not been denied a visa to the United States.
25+ civilians killed (mostly IDP) after barrel bombs were dropped on civilian areas in Al Jallum in #Aleppo city today.#StandWithAleppo pic.twitter.com/geQcBNpkwk
— The White Helmets (@SyriaCivilDef) December 9, 2016
If you, like me, have been wringing your hands these last few months — and especially these last few weeks — over how you can help the people of Syria, there are numerous ways you can be of service. And most of them take mere minutes.
- Donate to the White Helmets or any of the numerous international aid organizations outlined here by the Center for International Disaster Information.
- Volunteer at a local organization that works closely with refugees. (If you’re a medical professional, you can even volunteer to help the people in Syria directly.)
- Sign petitions to garner attention to this cause.
- Pray or meditate for those trapped in Syria and the refugees stuck in limbo.
- Stay informed by reading the news and following hashtags like #StandWithAleppo and #SyrianCrises — and vow that you will keep your eyes and ears open to the atrocities the Syrian people are facing.