°®Âþµº

In Syria’s Alawite heartland, the story of Zarda Khadour mirrors the plight of countless others. A retired cook from Masyaf, she spent 30 years working at a children’s hospital in Damascus.

Despite her long service, her pension amounts to just $22, barely enough to survive, let alone fulfil her dream of starting a small business in her hometown.

The conditions in Zarda’s hometown, Tair Jubbah, and across Masyaf are dire. "We were suffocating; we couldn’t talk about it. We were afraid to say we were hungry," she says, describing how her community has long endured poverty, neglect, and repression. While most residents live in destitution, a small elite thrives "we only saw them on television," Zarda remarks. Masyaf’s impoverished population has been exploited as cannon fodder for the Syrian regime’s war.

Charities like "Al-Bustan," tied to regime insider Rami Makhlouf, recruit poor Alawites for militias, deepening their entanglement in the conflict. These militias, known for their brutality, have fuelled sectarian violence and crushed dissent. Zarda’s voice and those of her neighbours highlight the dire human cost of the Syrian war. They speak of a community trapped by poverty, war, and exploitation, with little hope for relief. Yet, amidst the challenges, they strive to endure, a testament to their resilience.