Khaled, his wife and three children fled Syria’s Homs five months ago when their home was hit by a rocket. He and his family were inside the building at the time. They survived and escaped across the border but Khaled says the children still have nightmares. They are now living in a ShelterBox tent in Akroum, just two kilometres from the border.
‘God only knows where we would be living if we didn’t have the ShelterBox tent,’ said Khaled.
Nestled in the mountains, when the mist clears Akroum has a clear view across the border to Homs. At night the flare of explosions can often be seen in the distance. Mohammed Adraa, a local school principle, works with one of ShelterBox’s partner organisations in Lebanon, Akkarouna. It is on the concrete outside the front of Mohammed’s house where Khaled and his family’s tent is pitched.
Mohammed and Lilian help ShelterBox bring shelter to Syrian refugees and also share their family home with 18 other Syrian families, May 2013, Lebanon.
As well as coordinating ShelterBox aid in the area, Mohammed, his wife Lilian and their children, now share their home with 18 Syrian families.
‘Mohammed is one of many partners doing a great job helping us bring aid to the most vulnerable Syrian refugees,’ said ShelterBox Operations Coordinator Phil Duloy (UK/US). ‘Mohammed is not only looking after refugees in the community but also willing to give up space in his own home with his family and care so much about other people. He is an exceptional human being and we are very lucky to have partners like him.’
Over the past few months ShelterBox has been working with local implementing partners on the Lebanon-Syria border, like Akkarouna, to provide support to refugees fleeing the continuing conflict in Syria. Response Teams continue to assess the evolving situation and prepare to distribute more boxes to the communities most in need.