School in Syria remains one of the country’s emergencies. Syrian children and young people are among those most affected by a conflict that has been going on for more than ten years, to which, since 2020, the health emergency due to the Covid epidemic has been added. All of this is aggravated by a deep economic crisis. Children and young people are often denied the right to education and the consequent possibility of planning their own future . The old school buildings have largely become shelters for displaced people and the public schools that remain open are overcrowded and run by the few teachers who have not fled abroad. Going to school, in these conditions, is an act of resilience. To support which, AMU has implemented projects aimed at accompanying students from the cities of Homs , Damascus and Aleppo on this tortuous path. The Syria Emergency Seeds of Hope program has precisely this mission: to support today to plan tomorrow.
EHIS School for Deaf Children in Aleppo
Hearing-impaired children have difficulty integrating into the country’s schools. In order not to deny them the right to study, AMU supports the EHIS center. Here , teachers and assistants welcome young deaf students, transforming the center into a second home for everyone , where everyone learns something from the other, whether they are children or adults. By trying to follow the state curriculum, even small improvements in language or comprehension are actually great satisfactions for the students. Farah, a 10-year-old girl, who was followed in a verbal and hearing rehabilitation program, has regained her smile and serenity, as her mother testifies: “Before, my daughter was very sad, and she didn’t like going to school . Now she is more relaxed. In the midterm exams Farah answered most of the questions. The improvement is evident”.
After-school programs in Homs and Damascus
The after-school program in Homs is attended by children from elementary and middle schools, while the one in Damascus is attended by children from middle and high schools. It is thanks to the latter that many are able to access university: because the students can follow courses in different subjects in order to reinforce their specific preparation. 
And it is a joy to see these kids, all together, who commit themselves with sacrifice to earn the right to choose what profession to do as adults. After-school becomes a community and the enthusiasm becomes contagious .
Julie, una di loro, racconta: “Prima andavo in una scuola pubblica, eravamo davvero tanti in classe, per quanto il professore cercasse di spiegare la lezione, non riusciva. Ho deciso di iscrivermi a tutte le sessioni del doposcuola e ne ho beneficiato molto”. Ha imparato a studiare e a organizzare il lavoro. “Gli insegnanti si sono davvero donati, eravamo felici e abbiamo partecipato sempre alle loro lezioni”.
