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Before the war
Basma got married in 2008. Her husband is a mechanic.
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2009
Birth of their first daughter
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2011
Birth of their second daughter
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November 2012
Basma's husband is kidnapped by a non-identified armed group. This is an incredibly stressful period for Basma because she must find the equivalent of €2100 to free her husband. She borrows from her friends, her family (Nazra does not help for such things). The whole village helps out. Her husband is freed a few weeks later.
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January 2013
It becomes too dangerous to stay in their village. Basma and her family seek refuge in an unfinished house a few tens of kilometres from their village. They don't have water or electricity.
They charge their phone with a car battery -
March 2013
Birth of their third daughter. Their living conditions are getting worse and worse. They only eat once a day. Basma can't breastfeed any more because of the lack of food. Nazra sends them €1000.
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August 2014
Basma falls pregnant (and is particularly unhappy to learn she is carrying twins). The pregnancy won't be easy. She ends up in hospital twice and eventually loses her twins three months before the due date. Nazra covers the cost of her hospitalisation (€759).
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January 2015
It's been two years since Basma and her husband had to leave their village. They've got no savings left. Basma's husband leaves for Turkey to find work but he returns just 2 weeks later unsuccessful; there are a lot of Syrians in Turkey and they are often confronted with racism. He starts working as a mechanic again, hoping to be able to earn at least a small income.
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April 2015
Basma has been very weak lately. She suffers from headaches and stomach pains. While she rests her mother looks after her 3 girls.
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June 2015
Basma is getting better. She still has to take medication to keep her strength up though. Thanks to your donations, Nazra has sent her 319 €.
Here is a list of Basma and her family’s typical monthly outgoings (in Syrian pounds):
- food = 60 000
- rent = 15 000
- bottle of gaz (for cooking) = 4000
- medicine for Basma 8000
Total: 87 000 (approx. 360 €) -
September 2015
Basma's daughters are getting prepared for the Aïd (muslim celebration)!
Oncles, aunts, cousins, all the family will gather this week to celebrate Aïd. Despite the war, their parents will try to get them small presents and prepare a nice meal. More information (meal, photos) soon. -
October 2015
Basma is 3 months pregnant. The pregnancy was unplanned... This time it is a boy. She is very worried about having a miscarriage or that her pregnancy really takes it out of her as physically she is very weak.
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March 2016
South of Aleppp - where they are currently livinb - is still relatively safe from shelling but living conditions are basic: no runnign water and very little electricity. Basma charges her mobile phone using car batteries.Many of you have been asking about everyday life in Syria. Here is Basma's house.
South of Aleppo - where they are currently living - is still relatively safe from shelling but living conditions are basic: no running water and very little electricity. -
17 April 2016
Welcome to baby Ryad !After 9 difficult months in the war and being hospitalised several times during her pregnancy, Basma just gave birth to a lovely little boy.
They are both fine but Basma is already out of hospital (for financial reasons) and needs a couple of days to recover. More news when we get some. -
November 2016
Moving outBasma and her family must move out (for the third time) as their landlord wants to take back the property.
The new place they have found is unfinished and badly insulated yet they feel lucky as many families in the region have recently fled Aleppo and have not been able to find a house yet... -
March 2017
A snapshot of daily life
Basma has just bought new pyjamas for her daughters aged 8, 6 and 4.
Her husband suffers from knee problems. Nazra is covering the medical costs (x-ray and medication). -
January 2018
Life in a tent
Basma's region has become too dangerous (bombings, kidnappings). She and her family decide to flee towards a camp in the north of the country. It's the fourth time since the war has started. The living conditions are really poor, they even have to pay rent for their tent.
Basma would have liked to go to Turkey but the border is closed. They have nowhere else to go. -
March 2018
New tent
Basma and her family have had to vacate the tent they rented because its original owner returned. Tired of not having any stability or security, they have decided to construct their own tent with the financial aid of Nazra (100 EUR).
After several days of assembling, they have a home. Click on the image above to watch the video. -
October 2018
Back to school
Thanks to the money raised by Gianluca during his bicycle race (see here), Basma has been able to put her 3 daughters back to school, by them school supplies and new clothes.
They love school !
Ines, her oldest daughter, is standing on the right side of the picture. -
January 2019
Floods
After several days of heavy rain, Basma's refugee camp has been flooded. Fortunately her house remains intact (as they live on the hill) but hundreds of families have seen their tent swiped away by the floods. Here is a video showing the damages: click here -
January 2019
Basma's house
Basma and her family have been forced to move for the 6th time. Here's what their new house looks like.