A year after the brutal, 5-year civil war ended, many Syrians are tentatively celebrating their newly discovered freedom. That joy is quickly drowned out by the reality they have to endure on a day-to-day basis. The Assad regime is overthrown by Islamist rebels, bringing about the almost 14-year long conflict’s resolution. In light of the dark situation, many residents remain optimistic about starting new lives and growing community ties.
Mohammed Hoda al Darwish, a local resident, pointed to the progress in Syria. He emphasized the ongoing challenges, stating, “Life here is very, very hard because work has become scarce and we are getting by day by day.”
In response to rampant inflation, the Syrian government recently announced plans to re-denominate the currency, stripping two zeros from each banknote. This decision is made all the more momentous as the country struggles with extreme rampant inflation and a crumbling economy. Progress on exchange rate issues has been notable. It now hovers around the official rate of 12,000 Syrian pounds per US dollar, in contrast to the former black-market rate of 22,000 pounds.
The Struggles of Daily Life
Even after these positive developments, the reality for most Syrians nonetheless remains the same — with unbearable hardship continuing today. Featured image by Sean McKone Saudi’s logistics manager Wassim al Boukai made clear the importance of global support. “We want countries outside to help Syria. This is very necessary because the country was very tired, infrastructure was bad and our treatment was bad,” he said. Before liberation, Al Boukai reported that hospitals were a wreck. He remembered cases where patients were forced to buy their own medical supplies in rundown facilities.
Notably, conditions at the main public hospital in Damascus have markedly improved since the conclusion of the conflict. Mohammed Hoda al Darwish stated, “Everything became good. Even the freezer room was repaired. Before the liberation, this room was broken.” Together, these improvements to the law represent a significant break from a healthcare system that for too long had been deeply broken.
Most aren’t daydreaming about the kaleidoscopic quixotry these changes are being made to support their permanence without the hand of an outside benefactor. More than six million Syrians have fled their country, searching for security and a place to call home. Hundreds of thousands of them still live in refugee camps across the Middle East.
Returnees Face Harsh Realities
Unfortunately, the actual return of displaced people has not always resulted in the best possible outcomes. For example, Ahmed Atah Alawi—whose family had fled to Lebanon and recently returned to Darayya—came back to find that his family’s apartment had been destroyed. He lamented, “We returned to find it destroyed. Barrel bombs had come down on it.” His experience is part of a common story among returnees, who might expect to find their country rebuilt but instead return to ruin.
This is a common lament among returnees, recalling their time in refugee camps. Mr. Qilawi continued to describe how even with the difficulties of life in Lebanon, it was still a little better than going back home to Syria. “Living in Lebanon, we even found it better than here,” he remarked. Qilawi added that pressure from camp authorities prompted their return: “If they hadn’t pressured us, we wouldn’t have returned here to Syria.”
Ms. Atiye expressed her joy at being back home and noted that “you see this joy on everyone’s features. Happiness, comfort, and freedom is the most precious thing for a human.” She pointed out that even kids are walking home smiling with this new mobility.
The Path Forward
As Syria starts to imagine the prospect of rebuilding, the idea of investment—not aid—has been at the heart of government recovery plans. The Assad regime has made clear its own long-term goal of a recovery led by investment, not reliant on foreign aid. This strategy against economic inertia is a clear sign of this administration’s intent to return to national sovereignty while answering starkly urgent socioeconomic tribulations.
While the fight for food, housing, and jobs remains an uphill battle for many, movements that have emerged within marginalized communities offer uplifting examples. Mohammed Hoda al Darwish noted that life is improving overall but acknowledged the difficulties faced by many: “The situation is much better than before.”
Challenges are at every turn. Families in Alawi’s situation still live in the shadows of war and are painfully far from recovery. Despite facing these difficulties, many of them have dreams of achieving a better life for themselves and their families.
