Home NewsMiddle East I had a dream – the bombing was coming closer – #SyriaNow

I had a dream – the bombing was coming closer – #SyriaNow

by zeenat

Azhar Vadi | 29 August 2019 | Image: Azhar Vadi (File)

“It’s really, really bad with the influx of refugees. There’s really no place and people are setting up camp on the side of the roads. I got a message from a brother I know from Ma’ratun Nu’man and they have just moved next to the highway and he wanted to know if I know about tents that are available because he is there along with his wife and brother’s wife and his mum is quite elderly and they didn’t have anywhere to stay,” reported South African, Maseeha Saloojee, from the town of Darkoush on the Syro/Turkey border. She has been teaching Syrian refugee kids who have lost any formal chance of education in the war wrecked country.

Government forces backed by Russian and other allies have surrounded the Idlib province in recent weeks in an attempt to push out the armed rebel forces who have controlled much of the territory. Intense aerial and artillery bombardments have sent civilians fleeing to the Turkish border in the north west of the country.

The raging attacks, described as a scorched earth policy, has resulted in at least 500 000 newly displaced people placing immense pressure on the bursting refugee camps on the border.

“The family came in a truck and they loaded all their neighbours from their area in it. They have all been sleeping in the back of it,” added Maseeha. “Maybe they can handle it now in the summer but when winter hits it’s really not going to be practical at all.”

While humanitarian aid organisations are trying to plan, the situation as it is has not been easy to handle.  “There’s no control of where people are coming from and where they are setting up. It’s just too many to have a proper plan  for every single one of them.”

The war in Syria in its 9th year has now even out lasted World War II and has decimated the Syrian population. In the educational sphere some 180 000 teachers are no longer in service according to UN statistics. 40% of schools have been damaged or  destroyed and many more are being used as public shelters.

11.7 million people including 5 million children (0-17 years) are in need of aid and 13.2 million people are don’t have adequate access to healthcare.

“This morning I actually had a nightmare,” said Maseeha. “I dreamed that they were bombing our area and as far as I know there hasn’t been any bombing in this place since the beginning of the war. In the dream I said to my husband that maybe it’s time to move because I don’t know how much longer we can stay in an area where the bombings are getting closer and closer.”

Salaam Foundation is currently running a campaign to fill a shipping container of supplies to be sent to Turkey for relief purposes to refugees gathering at the border. The call is for adult and kiddie nappies, sanitary pads and blankets (150cmx200cm). These can be dropped off at collection points listed below.

Monetary donations will be used to purchase wheelchairs, walkers and crutches, mattresses, stationery for children and school bags.

The banking details are:

Salaam Foundation

FNB

62669147665

Branch 250 737

Ref: syr + name (zakat/lillah)

Drop-off points:

Salaam Foundation  |  Robertsham, 92 Xavier Street  |  Fatima Sookharia  |  072 122 8400

Actonville  |  1372 Loonat Street  |  Naseema Sookharia  |  083 616 6153

Auckland Park  |  MSA UJ  |  Zakiya Shaik  |  061 073 7223

Azaadville  |  Maymoona Chohan  |  074 454 3315

Balloon Foundation  |  Haroon Patel  |  079 107 2704

Balloon Foundation  |  Wits main campus  |  Aadil Seedat  |  076 188 0931

Bela Bela  |  Muhammad Desia  |  081 289 1997

Bela Bela  |  Ml Ebrahim Rawat  |  082 263 8954

Benoni  |  Beyers Park, 12 Bartlett Rd  |  Fatima Ganchi  |  082 348 8046

Benoni | Lakefield, 11 Ness Avenue  |  Nashreen Hansrod  |  083 655 3341

Benoni |The Stewards, Building Blocks, 20 Calderwood Street  |  Shamiema Saley  |  072 384 3486

Benoni| Amina Bhabha  |  084 521 9237

Benoni  |  Beyers Park, 12 Bartlett Rd  |  Fatima Ganchi  |  082 348 8046

Bethal  |  Bethal Town Masjid, 7 Clercq Street  |  Ml Ahmed Ravat  |  084 374 9678

Beyers Park  |  65 Monte Cristo  |  Nahida Dawood  |  084 528 2786

Bilal Combined School  |  Corner Wimbledon and Wellington, Lenasia South  |  Taahira Timol  |  061 439 0955

Brits  |  Salimah Ahmed Gutta  |  084 205 6374

Bryanston  |  Zakkiyya Mota  |  071 879 4077

Caring Women’s Forum  |  Ayesha Essack  |  073 224 9984  |  Naushina Ismail  |  082 625 6252  |  Raeesa Gutta  |  074 786 7060

Crosby |  9 Barberton Street  |  Fehmida Bapoo  |  082 855 5725  |  Naseema Nalla  |  073 786 0444

Durban |  490 Peter Mokaba Rd(Ridge Rd) Overport |  Mrs Olgar  |  072 144 2333

Greenside |  Cake Walk, Greenhill Rd, Emmarentia  | Mariam Mia  |  082 956 7464  |  Sommaya Motala  |  083 650 9577

Houghton  |  22 6th Avenue  |  Dr. Fatima Bhabha  |  082 551 6104

Jump the Puddle  |  2C Netania st. Rynsoord  |  Zaiboon Katrada  |  062 493 4658

Kidz Campus  |  Sabeela Asmal  |  084 555 3889

Little Darlings  |  Rashida  |  076 864 1786

Little Folks  |  Appa Sajeda  |  082 372 8223

Little Treasures Playgroup  |  Fatima Ganchi  |  072 814 6591

Lenasia  |  24 Mahanadi Avenua  |  Tasneem Mangel  |  084 599 7022

Lenasia | Muslim Youth Council |Aarifah Bham | 083 630 0605

Mackenzie park  |  32 Heron street  |  Faatima Ally  |  084 306 3046

Marlboro  |  9 Gazania Crescent Marlboro Gardens  |  Hasina Bhana  |  072 363 9571

Mokopane  |  52 Ruiter Rd  |  Naasiha Hansrod  |  082 699 4782

Montgomery Park  |  21 West Park Road  |  Shaatirah Hassim  |  084 583 2190

Northcliff  |  Shaatirah Hassim  |  084 583 2190

Norwood  |  Balloon Foundation  |  Fareeha Amod  |  072 114 9650

Pietermaritzburg  |  4 Burnside (entrance on Kenilworth) Mountain Rise  |  Farzana Essa  |  083 628 7786

Polokwane  |  Anisah Moosa  |  082 646 0505

Purposeful Giving  |  Claudius/ Laudium  |  81 Maxwell Road  |  Zafreen  |  083 779 6855

Purposeful Giving  |  Eldoraigne   |  Little Hearts Store, 1257 Willem Botha street  |  Sumaya  |  082 0517 860

Qurtuba  |  319 Al Qasr  |  Tasneem Bayat  |  084 840 6661

Robertsham  |  Zakkiyya Mota  |  071 879 4077

Roosevelt park |  Shaatirah Hassim  |  084 583 2190

Roshnee  |  VMWF Offices, 5 Zam Zam Street, Dadaville  |  Hawa Patel  |  082 920 0773

Rustenburg  |  Zinniaville, 68 Hollyhock Street  |  Bibi Aysha Haffejee  |  082 840 9077

Springs  |  23 Geranium Street, Bakerton  |  Khatija Seedat  |  076 250 4029

Standerton  |  136 Sydney de Lange  |  Rabia Cajee  |  084 528 7861

The Roadshow Muslimah  |  Melville, 28A Banbury Road  |  Tasneem Ebrahim  |  083 697 5575

The Roadshow Muslimah  |  Montgomery park, 41 Hugo Naude Street   |  083 786 3495

The Roadshow Muslimah  |  Mayfair West, 48 Bellona Road  |  081 460 3079

Ummah Heart  |  Zaahira Karrim  |  073 600 6014

VMWF  |  5 Zam Zam streer, Dadaville  |  Hawa Patel  |  082 920 0773

Whizzkids  |  Mackenzie Park  |  Faatima Wadee |  076 864 1786

Faheemah Moosa  |  081 454 8337

Items required. Our focus will be on:
1. adult and children’s nappies,
2. sanitary pads,
3. mattresses (190x80x10cm)
4. blankets (150x200cm)

Monetary contributions will be used for the following:
1. Stationery packs (R70)
2. School Bags (R100)
3. Wheel Chairs (R1400)
4. Walkers (R450)
5. Transport, logistics and other additional goods

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