Why I give: Helping children and reuniting families in Syria

Our Thanksgiving was a little bit crazy, a little bit mellow, and a little bit oh my gosh I can’t believe I ate pie at three meals today. The entire Ryan clan convened at my parents’ house, so we did a lot of game playing, taking walks in the rain (so Oregon!), eating (obvi) and snuggling.

All that together time made me a whole lot of grateful. And as I gave my girls extra hugs, played with my baby niece, had actual face-to-face conversations with family members who live across the country and took ridiculous photos to commemorate our time together, I gave thanks for our good fortune to spend time together.

I’m still riding the high of our rare days all together, especially since the last time we all gathered was at my brother’s wedding three years ago. I’m also remembering that many families—way too many—don’t have the privilege of coming together at home. So today, on Giving Tuesday, this is why I give to a cause close to my heart: to support families who have left their homes to escape danger, poverty or war.

On Giving Tuesday, this is why I give: to support kids and families who want to build a better future. Ten Thousand Hour Mama

(See my post from yesterday on more about Giving Tuesday and donating on any budget.) 

Helping displaced children

Half the world’s 65+ million displaced people are children. That means that more than 30 million children have been forced to leave their home because of conflict, war, economic distress, environmental disaster or other catastrophes.

Looking at my two girls, I can’t imagine them fleeing such hardship.

I couldn’t help but think of them, too, earlier this year when I interviewed several staff from SOS Children’s Villages International Syria for a story I wrote. I learned how SOS used technology to reunite families and care for children separated from their parents or orphaned. (One in ten children worldwide grow up without the care of a parent.)

Stories from on the ground in Syria’s civil war

“I’ve seen a lot of people suffering from this war,” Sireen Kutieleh, ICT Coordinator at SOS Children’s Villages Syria, told me in our interview. “Every house in Syria is affected by this war—they lost their home or job or family members.”

Sireen, who is Palestinian but has been living in Syria and working for SOS for years, lost an aunt in Syria’s civil war. “I feel responsible to do something for these people. And in working with SOS in the emergency field, I can see direct benefit to those people.”

Sireen went on to tell me some of the stories of the children she has worked with. There was a young girl who suffered from a medical condition that left her unable to play without going blue from a lack of oxygen—who, thanks to SOS, had surgery and is now able to run like any other kid.

There were the two young boys who ended up at an SOS interim care center after being separated by family. Their grandfather searched all over Syria before finding them at the center and collapsing into tears of relief.

And there was the pregnant mother living in Aleppo—one of the most devastated cities in Syria—whom SOS brought to the relatively safe Damascus to deliver her baby.

After hearing Sireen tell me about these few children and families, I couldn’t help but imagine the countless other stories left untold. After all, an estimated 6 million Syrian children have been affected by the warThese kids need all the help they can get as they hunker down in war zones, flee bombs, cross borders and resettle in host countries.

Why I give: to make my gratitude count

I find myself thinking of these children today, Giving Tuesday. My donation to SOS Children’s Villages International won’t stop the Syrian civil war or even slow the tidal wave of families fleeing the violence. But I still give because my donation helps a little. And if we all help a little, we can do big things.

That’s one reason why I give today: to make a small positive difference in the lives of children and families that have lost too much. I give today to support them in a small way as they strive to provide for their families what we all want: a better, more promising future.

As Sireen told me, “I hope one day soon the war all over the world will end and we, somehow, will find the peace we dreamt of since childhood.”

That sounds like another reason why I give. What about you?

What group are you supporting on Giving Tuesday?

And tell me: Why do YOU give?

10 thoughts on “Why I give: Helping children and reuniting families in Syria

  • November 29, 2016 at 12:30 pm
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    I love that GivingTuesday helps people become more aware of the many different ways one person can give, and I love your reasons for giving! We give monthly and annually to several different organizations near and dear to our hearts throughout the year – Oregon Humane Society, MercyCorps NW, ACLU, TTSD Foundation, Lifeworks NW, Planned Parenthood, NOW, Raphael House, MS Society, etc etc – so I’d love to give to a new-to-us organization today. I’ve never known much about SOS Children’s Villages International, and I really appreciate you sharing their info! Such important work being done by so many, and every little bit helps.

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    • November 30, 2016 at 12:17 pm
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      Marlynn, I love that you have organizations you routinely give to: Nonprofits rely so much on consistency to do their important work. I, too, have been learning about NGOs my friends and loved ones support through Giving Tuesday – it’s such a wonderful way to spread the spirit of giving.

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  • November 29, 2016 at 1:13 pm
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    I love this. I really love that Giving Tuesday has really come about in the past few years and has been such a focus THIS year in particular. I was really impressed to hear some of the efforts many companies have put into giving this year. Particularly how Patagonia decided to give all of its Black Friday profits to charities. It ended up being MILLIONS. Can you even believe that? So cool.

    I give because at one point in my life people had to give to me in order for myself and my family to survive.

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    • November 30, 2016 at 12:15 pm
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      Jenni, I heard about Patagonia’s effort and am so impressed! What a powerful gesture from a company I totally respect.

      RE the reason why you give: I hear you. Absolutely. I find that I’ve had so much generosity, help and good will sent my way—especially since becoming a mother—that I just have to pay it forward, either in money, time or energy.

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  • November 29, 2016 at 1:35 pm
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    Your writing is powerful. Quite a story and inspiring for this Giving Tuesday!

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    • November 30, 2016 at 12:14 pm
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      Thanks Suzannah!

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  • November 29, 2016 at 1:44 pm
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    What a great cause to highlight for Giving Tuesday – my monthly and annual causes tend to be for animals, the hungry, schools, and women (local and national groups for each) and this made me realize I should think about an international organizations as well!
    Pech recently posted…Review of Living Digital Space and Future ParksMy Profile

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    • November 30, 2016 at 12:14 pm
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      We can’t give to every cause, so it’s great you’ve highlighted the issues you’re most passionate about. That can help guard against giving overwhelm!

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  • November 29, 2016 at 6:38 pm
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    I had absolutely NO idea that there were so many displaced children! What a great cause to support for Giving Tuesday. Thank you for giving me knowledge into this as well!

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    • November 30, 2016 at 12:13 pm
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      I love that initiatives like Giving Tuesday let us see what our friends are passionate about, and it helps us learn something new.

      Reply

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