A seven-year-old Syrian refugee has written a very powerful letter to Theresa May

Jenny Proudfoot

‘Have you seen the young children who are weak and dying because of hunger? I have seen them’

Following the UK Government’s decision to cancel a scheme offering sanctuary and support to children fleeing the war in Syria, one young Syrian refugee has decided to do something about it.

Bana Alabed is a seven-year-old refugee, known to the world as Aleppo’s tweeting girl.

Joining Twitter just six months ago, Bana’s account – exposing the truth of what it’s like to be a child refugee – has attracted a lot of attention, getting verified and already boasting 363k followers. Her posts vary from powerful videos and shocking images of Aleppo to public letters from the seven-year-old to world leaders, asking for help.

Bana tweeted a letter she wrote to PM Theresa May on Sunday, posting ‘Letter to @theresa_may. Dear Theresa May, please read my letter to you. Thank you.’

‘Dear Theresa May, I am writing this letter with the help of my mother’ the note read. ‘I am looking for help for the suffering of the people of Syria. Can you send them medicine, doctors, water and milk?’

She continued: ‘Have you seen the young children who are weak and dying because of hunger? I have seen them. They live if we give only food but no one cares. I am very sad.’

She concluded the letter by asking for help, ‘promise me you send them food and medicine now please. Don’t forget them. Love to you, Dear Theresa May.’

This is not the first time that Bana has written letters to world leaders, directing a message to Russian President, Vladimir Putin, just last week.

‘To Mr. Putin and Assad’, her letter began. ‘My name is Bana Alabed from Syria. Stop the bombing now, save the children of Syria and go to jail for killing my friends.’

Bana has also appealed to President Donald Trump, captioning her letter to him, ‘I beg you, can you do something for the children of Syria? If you can, I will be your best friend. Thank you.’

Bana’s posts, written with the help of her mother, Fatemeh, are extremely powerful. From talking openly about war and bombings to other children dying, her message is clear and extremely eye-opening: save the children of Syria.

 

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