The Women Saving Syria from the Bombs

AN UPDATE FROM THE SYRIA CAMPAIGN 

When the bombs rain down in Syria, the White Helmets – the Syrian Civil Defence – rush in to look for life in the rubble.  In a place where public services no longer function, these unarmed volunteers risk their lives to help anyone in need – regardless of their religion or politics. Since their formation a year ago they’ve saved 10,221 lives and counting.

Until October, almost all of the official members of the White Helmets were men. But now, as of only a few weeks ago, two women’s teams with 56 volunteers were established – and many more volunteers want to join them. The 56 heroic women of the White Helmets are operating in the most dangerous place on earth. They are trained in medical care and light search and rescue work. They ride in vehicles to the scenes of barrel bomb and missile strikes and dig for survivors using tools and their bare hands. These women risk their lives to help anyone in need – fully aware that rescue sites are often targeted with a second round of bombing.

But to save more lives these women are calling for support from around the world – The Syria Campaign is helping them fundraise for three ambulances for each of their teams in Idlib and Aleppo to help them transport injured victims to safety.

The women’s teams do much of the same rescue and medical work as the men’s teams but they are often called on specifically to rescue other women in situations where the family would prefer them to be involved. Particularly in situations of chemical attacks where victims have to be stripped to be treated, the community is increasingly calling on the women rescuers.

This is a message from Fatima, one of the volunteers from Aleppo.

My name is Fatima and I am a mother of two young boys and a girl in one of the most dangerous places in the world. I am a volunteer for the White Helmets in Idlib. I help save people from destruction, from the daily barrel bombs and other attacks on Syrian civilians.

I have a dream of building my country side by side with men. I help injured civilians every day, knowing that this will give my daughter and my country a better future.

I am writing to you today to ask for your help to get three ambulances for our women’s team here and three ambulances for the Aleppo team. We are now 56 women in Syrian Civil Defence, and this step will help us grow and grow.

Thank you for your support.

You can donate, and share their story here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/support-the-women-saving-syria-from-the-bombs#home

Links from the article: 
https://www.whitehelmets.org/
https://thesyriacampaign.org/
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/support-the-women-saving-syria-from-the-bombs#home