‘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.
I think my childhood is stolen by the war but I fight for my childhood again under the bombings. – Bana #Aleppo pic.twitter.com/OOOrZO5c4X
— Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) November 7, 2016
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.’
Letter to @theresa_may. Dear Theresa May, please read my letter to you. Thank you pic.twitter.com/fb1Cc3xOa2
— Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) March 5, 2017
‘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.
My Letter to Bashar Al Assad and Putin: " please stop the bombing and go to jail now for killing my friends." pic.twitter.com/dxdGEP8R20
— Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) February 27, 2017
‘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.’
My letter to @realdonaldtrump: I beg you, can you do something for the children of Syria? If you can, I will be your best friend. Thank you pic.twitter.com/rWmgDuBf6P
— Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) January 25, 2017
Hi @realdonaldtrump what if this was your child sitting in the middle of the road with nothing, no parents, nothing. Nothing. Please pic.twitter.com/lwTJteyPiy
— Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) January 26, 2017
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.
I am very sad, save the children of Syria. pic.twitter.com/HtgLh7wDNC
— Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) February 17, 2017