'Soon turned into years' - a reality of hope and hardship for people displaced for over a decade in Syria

“The airstrikes and shelling started, and people fled just to save their lives and families. We moved from one village to another along the way until we finally ended up here. We tried not to go too far from our homes, hoping we would return soon - but ‘soon’ turned into years.” 

Samira* is originally from Aleppo in Syria but was forced to flee when her village came under fire. Despite her hopes that this nightmare would be a temporary situation, she has now spent years living in a tent alongside her husband and their eight children. 

Despite major political changes in Syria, millions of people there are still coping with the impact of a devastating conflict that started in 2011. 

Over 16 million people in Syria need humanitarian support and hundreds of thousands remain displaced, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). 

Samira (42) told us: "We first stayed in a nearby village where we had relatives, but before the year ended, everyone had to run again and leave everything behind. Each time the bombing got closer, we were forced to move farther away, until we eventually arrived here and settled in the camp. Life in the camp is difficult, and today it is even harder than before. 

"My husband works as a mobile seller, and my 13-year-old son works with him. They leave early in the morning to go to the market and come back in the evening - that is our only income. I used to work on a cleaning team for daily wages.” 

We met Samira on a December morning, with the onset of the harsh winter period known locally as the “40 Days of Winter,” the weather was bitterly cold and overcast. The ground was muddy, scattered with puddles formed by rain and the melting snow that had fallen just two days earlier. 

"In summer, we struggle with extreme heat and lack of water, and in winter we suffer from cold, rain, and harsh weather. Everyone usually welcomes the rain - except us. For us, rain means hardship. When heavy rain falls, the water enters our tent from underneath and floods everything.  

"Children are hard to keep indoors. Even in the harshest weather they want to go outside, and that exposes them to illness again and again. My youngest son had a small injury to his foot, but because of the cold it became worse and he eventually needed surgery. 

"When winter approaches, we start preparing. Life in a tent is nothing like living in a real house with walls and a roof. The most important preparation is checking the tent and covering it with plastic sheeting, so water doesn’t leak inside. This year we also built a small barrier around the tent to stop water from entering when it rains. We also prepare a heating source and warm clothes for the children. 

"This winter, fuel prices are very high, so we switched to a wood-burning heater. We buy small amounts of wood only when we can afford it, and we use anything combustible we can find.  

"We collect nylon bags, cardboard, and whatever my husband finds on his way to and from work. Today we are even cutting up an old worn-out mat into bundles to use for heating. All of this - with a little wood we were able to buy - helps us keep the tent warm for our children," she explained. 

Maryam* is also enduring another winter living in a tent in the camp for displaced people, alongside her husband and their six daughters. 

They are from Aleppo as well but had to leave in 2014 amidst the conflict, she is "holding on to the hope of returning home" one day. 

Maryam (48) said: "The war stretched over our area, forcing us to escape in search of safety. My house was destroyed in an airstrike, but fortunately, we were not inside at the time. 

"Our journey was long and dangerous. We had to move from place to place, and we could not come here directly because many of the roads were blocked or unsafe." 

Maryam’s husband sells fruit and vegetables but it’s not a steady income and the family struggles to meet their basic needs. 

"Life in the camp is harsh and full of challenges. In summer, we suffer from extreme heat and a severe lack of water. In winter, the mud covers the ground everywhere, and you can imagine how difficult it is to live in cold tents that offer neither warmth nor protection.” 

Concern, with support from the European Union, is providing assistance to families like Samira and  Maryam's this winter. Each family received one-time cash assistance of 150 USD. Cash support was intentionally chosen because it offers families dignity and flexibility, allowing them to decide for themselves what is most urgent for them in the harsh winter months. 

Each household knows best what it lacks to endure the long winter nights - fuel, blankets, mattresses, or insulation for the tent - so the support became a flexible tool that respects the different realities and priorities of people who have been displaced from their homes. 

Maryam said: "Winter assistance brought warmth to our tents and hope to our hearts. It helped families protect their children from the cold and improve their conditions during the harshest days of winter." 

Samira agreed, saying that this money has provided some hope over the cold winter months: "It does not cover all winter needs, but it is truly life-saving support that helps us face the harsh season. A barrel of diesel now costs 170 dollars, and one barrel is not enough for a whole winter. We tried to adapt and make the assistance stretch as much as possible. 

"The impact of this assistance on our lives during the cold days was huge. Before receiving it, we kept asking ourselves how we would get through winter without heating and basic needs. 

"We are deeply grateful to Concern - this support lifted a heavy burden from us and made us feel that someone stands with us and understands our suffering. Our children can now sleep warm, instead of us staying awake all night worried about them freezing." 

At a time of significant change in Syria, Samira also spoke about her hopes for the future. 

She said: "This assistance was not only about money - it was a message that someone remembers us during this harsh winter. Now our greatest hope is for peace and safety to return to our country, so we can go back to our village and our home and finally end this life of displacement." 

*Names have been changed