On International Women’s Day, martyrs’ wives weave success stories

During the terrorist war on Syria, many Syrian women lost their husbands as martyrs and had to face a difficult life alone, yet they never surrendered. On the contrary, they weaved success stories that reflected their steadfastness and strong will to face the exhausting absence of their husbands and to rise from their grief and pain to continue bringing up their children with pride in their father’s martyrdom.

After the martyrdom of her husband Abdo Yacoub Al-Ahmar, Wardeh Al-Shabou’, a Syrian lady from Homs, shouldered the responsibility of bringing up three children alone and became the breadwinner of her family.

Wardeh didn’t surrender to the hard circumstances, particularly as she got support from the local community around her and thus she managed to launch a small business at her house and start to sell cotton clothes to get an income. Within two years, Wardeh’s income increased and she was able to save some money to build a shop near her house which greatly improved her economic condition and made her feel better and stronger.

“Life needs a lot of strength and patience to overcome its difficulties and to maintain a state of cohesion and solidarity within the family,” Wardeh told SANA.

 Hiam Al-Du’bul, wife of martyr Raouf Fadlallah Al-Du’bul, from Sweidaa, also defied the difficult circumstances for seven years by her strong determination. She said that her husband was martyred in 2013 leaving her in a rented house with two children in high school.

Hiam got support through government institutions which secured a job for her at the Sweidaa Governorate’s Council. Years later, she became the head of the Martyrs’ ad Media Offices in the province.

She said that she continued take care of her children who have now become university graduates, emphasizing that “life experiences and suffering teach us to be strong and not to give up.”

Life was not easier for Binaa Nazeer Ruqayya, wife of Martyr Mazen Mohammad Qasem from Lattakia, as she was left alone with her three children to take care of.

“What awakened me from the shock of the loss of my husband was the deterioration of my children’s study level; particularly as he hoped that our children will be successful and excel  in society. Therefore, I decided to work hard to follow up on their education and achieve his dreams.”

Binaa said that during the three years that followed the martyrdom of her husband, she faced many difficulties. She did not have an adequate source of income, but after that she got a job at Tishreen University and was able to provide her children with what they needed to continue their studies.

Hamda Mustafa