Rebuilding lives: Halalbooking project delivers new homes for Syrian families

 “We thank each person, who stood by us and all those in need. We are deeply grateful to them and we hope that Allah will bless them”

As people across the world suffer from extreme weather conditions, it couldn’t be better timing to receive the wonderful news that five families, who had been displaced by the terrible destruction caused by the twin earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye on 6th February 2023, have now moved into the homes built with your generous donations.

The homes have been built in Azaz, in the Harim District near Idlib, in Northwest Syria thanks to the generous donations made by you, our loyal customers. This has been made possible through the partnership with Islamic Relief, whose dedicated team is there on the ground relieving suffering for those living in tents following the destruction of their homes by earthquakes nearly two years ago. This is the first phase of the €200,000 Halalbooking rebuilding project.

The team at Islamic Relief, with whom we have been working to deliver the homes, spoke to the families who have moved into the new homes, including a grandfather and his five children and a mother caring for 7 children, her own and orphaned children. This means that more than 25 children will now experience the comfort of living in their own homes.

The families told us about the terrible conditions in the camp, where, living in tents, they were at the mercy of the weather – the cold, the mud, the rain and the snow. They explained how the new homes provided them with things most of us take for granted: not only protection from the harsh weather outside, but also a feeling of security, access to water and somewhere to wash, providing privacy for them and their children – especially the girls – and a space for their children to study.

One elderly woman who has now moved into one of the new homes with her children painted a vivid picture of life in the camps:

“In the tents, the heaters wouldn’t work—whether gas heaters or coal heaters—because the tent ceilings were too low. Nothing would function properly. It was so difficult… Thank God, we’re much more comfortable now and happy. Before, in the tent, we suffered so much, especially with water seeping in and the mud. When the wind blew, it caused chaos.”

Tufail Hussain, UK Director, Islamic Relief said:

"We are delighted to have completed the first phase of Halalbooking’s project to help rebuild Northwest Syria, following the devastating earthquakes. Alhamdulillah, we were able to hand over the keys to 5 new homes to Syrian families, to give them shelter, as we head into the coldest months of the year. For the children moving into these homes, who have been through such turmoil in their young lives, a new home represents more than just shelter, it’s a chance to have a safe haven from which to rebuild their lives.”

This sentiment was echoed by the families themselves. One grandfather, who has moved into the new home with his five grandchildren told us:

“I have a proper roof, walls and doors. I can lock the house and feel secure. It’s like a fortress... It gives us peace of mind.”

Whilst a mother, caring for 7 children, including orphans said:

“At least now we have some control over our situation. Finally, we can rest. Our children are safe from the rain. Now we can wash, take a shower and keep ourselves clean.”

Ufuk Seçgin, Chief Marketing Officer of Halalbooking said:

“As soon as I heard what had happened, with the terrible devastation caused by the earthquakes, I knew we had to help. Thanks to the generosity of our customers, friends, partners and all those who supported our appeal, together with the dedicated work of the team from Islamic Relief, we have been able to help these families start to rebuild their lives.”

He explained that the next stage of the €200,000 project was also underway and that a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed with the Turkish Ministry of Education. The next stage of the project is the construction of a two-storey primary school with 16 classes (3,050m²) in the Kayabaşı neighbourhood of the borough of Dulkadiroğlu in Kahramanmaraş in Türkiye. It was put out to tender in December and the construction project has been successfully awarded to a reputable construction company. Whilst the contractual completion date is the end of November, Seçgin said that he hoped that the school would be completed by the end of August.

Tufail Hussain, UK Director, Islamic Relief added:

“Now the official tender process has been completed, we’re looking forward to starting work on building the primary school in Kahramanmaraş, insha’Allah. Giving the children of the region the gift of education, will not only rebuild infrastructure but also build futures. This is all made possible, thanks to the generous support of Halalbooking and their customers."

The families all expressed their gratitude to Allah (swt) and wanted us to thank all of you, for your generosity, which has made it possible for them to live in a safe home once more.

“Thank God, He sent kind-hearted people who saw our situation and took us to these homes, and now we are comfortable. May Allah bless every person who helped us.” 

Read more about the project in our previous blog article: Halalbooking donates €200,000.