- Over 370,000 Syrians repatriated since December government transition
- 72% of returnees report destroyed or uninhabitable housing
- UNHCR conducts daily mine safety workshops across 14 provinces
As evening prayers echo through Daraya's bullet-scarred streets, Mariam Aabour prepares iftar meals in a borrowed kitchen. Her family's home – like 63% of structures in this Damascus suburb – lies in ruins after years of conflict. The UN Refugee Agency confirms over 370,000 Syrians have returned since last winter's political shift, though many find neighborhoods unrecognizable.
Returnees describe complex emotions during this sacred month. Breaking fast without my father and sons feels like reopening wounds,says Aabour, stirring lentil soup in a repurposed oil drum. Her story mirrors countless others: 41% of repatriated families have missing relatives according to recent NGO surveys.
Urban centers like Daraya reveal Syria's reconstruction challenges. Former furniture craftsman Faraj al-Mashash shows AP journalists where his workshop once stood – now a concrete skeleton housing displaced families. We rebuilt this wall three times,he explains, pointing to shrapnel marks on fresh plaster. The World Bank estimates $350 billion needed for nationwide infrastructure repairs.
UNHCR's Celine Schmitt emphasizes returnee support programs: Our 28 community centers provide legal aid for property claims and vocational training.However, funding falls short – only 19% of requested $4.6 billion humanitarian budget has been met. New initiatives like rubble-to-rebar recycling projects aim to create jobs while clearing debris.
Psychosocial impacts linger beneath physical reconstruction. Umaya Moussa recounts fleeing Daraya while pregnant in 2013: My children ask why their cousins aren't here for suhoor.Mental health professionals report 68% of returnees experience trauma symptoms, with group counseling sessions now incorporated into mosque programs.
As Ramadan concludes, families hang fairy lights on exposed rebar and share meager meals. Saeed Kamel serves date-filled maamoul cookies at his father's grave – a bittersweet tribute to traditions surviving war. Next Ramadan, inshallah, we'll have proper windows,he says, watching children chase fireflies through bullet-pocked walls.
