Megan Levy

Omran, 6, fled Syria with his family carrying only this bag.
Omran, 6, fled Syria with his family carrying only this bag. Photo: International Rescue Committee
If you had only a small bag in which to pack your most valued and needed possessions, what would you fill it with?
For six-year-old Omran, part of that precious space is occupied by a zip-lock bag of marshmallows, the young boy's favourite snack, alongside a toothbrush, toothpaste and a pair of trousers and a shirt.
Omran, from Syria, is too young to comprehend fully the upheaval that is occurring around him.
He is among the thousands of refugees fleeing unrest in Syria and other parts of the Middle East and Afghanistan, and risking their lives in a desperate dash for Europe and the hope of a new, safer life.
The International Rescue Committee, a global humanitarian aid organisation, spoke to a handful of those displaced people and photographed the meagre possessions they had managed to carry with them across the Aegean Sea to Lesbos, in Greece.
"Smugglers routinely exploit them, promising safety for a price, only to squeeze them like sardines into tiny boats," the committee said in a statement.
"Most have no option but to shed whatever meagre belongings they may have salvaged from their journeys. Those allowed to bring extra baggage aboard often toss it overboard, frantically dumping extra weight as the leaky boats take on water."
Entitled What's in my bag?: What refugees bring when they run for their lives, the photo essay paints a bleak picture of life on the move.

Omran, 6, from Damascus, Syria
Photo: International Rescue Committee
Contents of the bag:
  • One pair of pants, one shirt
  • A syringe for emergencies
  • Marshmallows and sweet cream (Omran's favourite snacks)
  • Soap, toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Bandages

Aboessa, 20, from Damascus, Syria
What's in my bag? These are the only possessions Aboessa, from Syria, could carry with her when fleeing. Photo: International Rescue Committee
Aboessa left Syria with her husband and their 10-month-old daughter, Doua.
"Everything is for my daughter to protect her against sickness. When we arrived in Greece, a kind man gave me two jars of food. Another man gave us biscuits and water when he saw my baby," she said.
Contents of Aboessa's bag:
  • Hat for the baby
  • An assortment of medication, a bottle of sterile water, and a jar of baby food
  • Napkins for nappy changes
  • A hat and a pair of socks for the baby
  • Pain relievers, sunscreen and sunburn ointment, toothpaste
  • Personal documents (including the baby's vaccination history)
  • Wallet (with photo ID and money)
  • Mobile phone charger
  • Yellow headband

A pharmacist from Syria, who wished to remain anonymous
Photo: International Rescue Committee
A 34-year-old pharmacist from Syria carried these items with him in a small bag. His boat began leaking, and he ended up treading water for 45 minutes before he was rescued.
Contents of his bag:
  • Money (wrapped to protect it from water)
  • Old phone (wet and unusable) and new smart phone
  • Phone chargers and headphones (plus extra battery charger)
  • 16GB flash drive (containing family photos)

A family from Aleppo, Syria
Photo: International Rescue Committee
An extended family, from Aleppo in Syria, lost most of their possessions along the way and arrived with just one bag. There were seven women, four men and 20 children.
Contents of their bag:
  • One shirt, one pair of jeans, one pair of shoes
  • Toiletries
  • One nappy, two small cartons of milk and some biscuits
  • Personal documents and money
  • Sanitary pads
  • A comb


Aid for Syrian Refugees Fundraiser - unisex shirt design - front

Hello all, I started a booster to raise funds to donate to the Syrian American Medical Society. Please make sure to check it out and donate if you can. You get a t-shirt and get to help Syrians in need! 100% of funds from this campaign will go to the non-profit organization, Syrian American Medical Society.

https://www.booster.com/syriancrisis


Injured Syrian kids are seen at a field hospital after Assad regime forces' airstrikes on a market in the opposition controlled Damascus suburb of Douma, Syria on August 22, 2015. At least 50 people were killed after a barrel bomb attack by Syrian regime forces on Saturday in Syrias Douma.
The shelling of Douma by the Syrian government continues after the first bloody round of airstrikes this week. This latest round of bombardments resulted in the death of at least 20 civilians, according to AFP, and numerous other sources. In addition to the deaths, Al Jazeera has reported over 200 injured this past weekend alone. Hundreds of videos and photos have emerged from the Syrian suburb, each revealing a new horror. Videos of collapsed buildings, pictures of bloodied children, and images of the dead have made their way around numerous social media sites. I have posted only a few examples of these below. As usual, be warned as they may (and most likely do) contain graphic content. 

A wounded Syrian girl looks on at a makeshift hospital in the rebel-held area of Douma [AFP]




An injured Syrian is seen at a field hospital after Assad regime forces' airstrikes on a market in the opposition controlled Damascus suburb of Douma, Syria on August 22, 2015. At least 50 people were killed after a barrel bomb attack by Syrian regime forces on Saturday in Syrias Douma.


The response to these images and videos has been, to say the least, lacking. Reports state that the death toll is anywhere from 20-100 civilians, and yet we have seen relatively little outcry from social media sites anywhere in the world. This comes at no surprise, especially at this point in the war.

The Syrian Civil War is perhaps one of the most well-documented wars in history, with pictures, videos, and testimony emerging from the front lines daily. While it can be difficult to confirm the validity of such things in this day and age, it is impossible to dismiss with hundreds of reports and numerous first-hand accounts to back them up.

So, why then does the world ignore Syria; the humanitarian crisis of the century?

I have asked myself this question numerous times these past five years, and always find that I cannot come to a single, definitive, conclusion. Has the world lost interest in the conflict after nearly five years of war? Has the constant lack of resources, and daily death of civilians become a mundane, everyday thing to the rest of the world? Does the rest of the world look upon Syria as just another Middle Eastern problem, one to be ignored quietly after failure in Iraq?

Please, remember this tragedy. Do not forget Douma, and do not forget the rest of the Syrian people.

-Qamr



Both of these videos are graphic, and include the torture of children. If these children survive the war, they may be left with deeper psychological scars than physical ones. #SaveSyrianChildren



This video, obtained from http://www.genocideinsyria.org/#!starvation-under-siege-/c10ph contains the truly heartbreaking story of Farah, an infant that died due to starvation while under living in a Damascus suburb under siege. Farah was just one of the many children in Syria that faced these dire conditions. The site contains numerous other videos and images of children, mere infants, just like Farah. Please, take a moment, and consider donating to Life, a non-profit charity dedicated feeding Syrian and Iraqi families in need this Ramadan. A food basket, which provides a family of 5 or a group of orphans with a food supply that lasts an entire month, is only $150.

The worst humanitarian crisis of the century

The worst humanitarian crisis of the century
470,000 Syrians dead and wounded. Millions of refugees. Millions internally displaced.

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About Me
We are Syrians dedicated to documenting the atrocities committed during the Syrian Civil War

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