Karim and his wife, Rima, fled Aleppo, Syria, after they lost their home and family business due the ongoing civil war. In search of safety and a new start for their family, the couple, parents of two young teenagers, headed to the port city of Latakia. There, with the help of Franciscan friars, they rented two small rooms and a small shop. Karim and Rima worked very hard to provide for their family’s basic needs and to ensure their children got an education—the family lived a simple, but content life. 

But things completely changed after two major earthquakes and thousands of aftershocks rocked northern Syria in February 2023. An estimated 8,476 people died, thousands of families were displaced, including Karim and Rima’s, and thousands of people were injured. For over a month, the family was not able to afford to buy food since their shop, like all other local businesses, was forced to shut down because of damaged roads and infrastructure. 

In this time of crisis, World Renew’s local partner was able to step in and provide families with food parcels and hygiene kits containing essentials such as tissue boxes, soap bars, detergent, and toothpaste. Rima says the assistance felt like gifts from heaven because the prices for food and necessities had doubled during these difficult days. The support lasted for several days and gave the family renewed hope for the future. 

Despite still struggling financially, the family currently hosts a single mother and her child in their small living space. They have been blessed by this experience, as they have been able to help another family in need—just as they had been given much-needed support in the aftermath of the earthquake. Although the family still hopes for a better tomorrow, they know it is not going to be easy, especially with the ongoing economic crisis in Syria. Nevertheless, Rima says that they can find hope even in difficult circumstances, thanks to the support of World Renew and its local partner, and the loving impact this has had on their family.  

Thank you for helping World Renew to share hope with families impacted by this disaster. During our initial earthquake response, gifts like yours helped our local partner provide 40,329 people with food assistance and hygiene kits, 38,487 people with winter support, including blankets, jackets, and pullovers, and 16,905 individuals with diapers.  

Sadly, with the ongoing economic crisis in Syria, 16.7 million people remain in need of humanitarian assistance. World Renew continues to work with our local partner to provide food and other emergency essentials to families struggling in the aftermath of the war and earthquakes. We invite you to give to our ongoing earthquake response in Syria as survivors still face significant humanitarian needs. Thank you for giving hope and support to Syrian families who have endured heartbreak after heartbreak.