Syrian Children Making Their Own Inroads to Freedom

For displaced Syrian children in Idlib Province, the Karama Bus is opening up colorful new horizons. Created by activists with the support of Kafr Nabl’s media office team, the “bus” is actually a psychological support program that takes youngsters on a creative journey, transforming displacement into productivity.

Every week, Karama Bus facilitators visit six schools in Kafr Nabl City and nearby villages where they teach painting, drawing, photography, puppetry, and arts and crafts, screen videos made by local activist groups, and lead sing-alongs. Reading and writing workshops and dialogue sessions also support children as they process absorbed violence.

“People want to think about the future, how to produce new images from violent images and vocabulary,” one activist explained.

“The sweetest thing is to see the kids playing normally, and to give them a chance to have a real childhood again,” added Khaled Al-Eissa, one of the bus’ facilitators.

First run on a volunteer basis, the project is now funded by the Organization Sooriat for Human Development. In the future, the group hopes to spread this vibrant model of art therapy throughout Idleb, and to establish a travelling theater troupe.

For more info – Karama Bus