Earlier in the week I sat down in my dorm room and tried to figure out what article I wanted to write this week. Eventually, I decided that I wanted to focus my attention on Syrian refugees. So I started my research. I found an article by The Washington PostThe Washington Post, that adequately explained what is happening in the mountain town of Madaya and two northern cities in Syria that are currently surrounded by rebels.
Now, I had recently made myself my first away-from-home dinner. It included cereal, three eggs and an English muffin. Since I didn't have much time to sit and enjoy a meal undistracted, I ate while I researched my topic.
I was reading about starving children, innocent people who were dying because they couldn't find the food. While on the other hand I was sitting in the fourth floor of what many consider the "shitty" dorms. I was at a school far away from home getting my secondary education. And I was eating my fourth meal for the day.
It wasn’t until I was around 100 words into the article that I realized the irony of the situation. And for a minute I sat there looking down at my delicious, perfectly buttered, lightly toasted to the color of gold, English muffin. I froze. I thought about the children eating leaves, the fights over food, the cries of mothers who can’t feed their dying children.
I began to think, what would have happened if I gave my meal to these refugees. And then this article got a whole lot harder to write. I had three separate foods, cereal, eggs and an English muffin and I couldn't help but think about all the advantages and privileges that we have that are taken for granted too often.
On the other hand Syrian refugees have begun to eat cats, plants, and dirt- desperate for anything that will stop their starvation. In the past week snow fell on the mountain town of Madaya killing the remaining vegetation. As a result, many have begun to fight over the little substance that is found, according to The Washington PostThe Washington Post.
The United Nations estimates there are 400,000 people in need of help, located in multiple areas around Syria. It’s required that the Syrian government grant permission to the United Nations to provide those 400,000 people with food aid. However, only 10 percent of requests have been granted.
Only one food delivery has been made to Madaya; it was in mid-October. Since then it is certain that food has run out. Children and the elderly have been most affected by the lack of food. Residents have recently been posting pictures of: their fragile bodies, corpses and their children, malnourished and eating leaves; desperately trying to survive. The Syrian government has promised to send aid soon to Madaya and two other towns in the north that are being surrounded by the rebels.
What can be done to help? Let this upset you, let it hurt, try to understand how these refugees are feeling. Let all this frustration and anger fuel your way to making a difference. Research stories of the refugee crisis and share them. Make sure people know that around 6,677 miles away children are dying from starvation. Get motivated, educate yourself and advocate for change, because no child should die from starvation.
