I am an Iraqi mother and I live in Syria my name is Athraa. My family and I have suffered greatly from the horrors of wars.

I have three children my youngest daughter, her name is Zahra, which means the shining face, she is the flower of my life.

She suffers from Down syndrome and it breaks my heart, there is no specialized center that treats my daughter’s condition. She faces breathing difficulties, and now  winter comes in Syria and it is very difficult. There is no water or gas to warm us in addition to these circumstances, my husband does not have a job.

I first wrote about my daughter because she suffers from Down syndrome, and society here is bullying and has no mercy for those who has this condition.

I also write because we are a family that wants the most basic rights, which is the safety. In Iraq we have been threatened by militias and have had to live in Syria, and the security situation here is also much difficult. We were subjected to a break-in inside our house and they fired shots at us and threatened us with death if we did not give them money.

Icame to the immigration organization six years ago with the hope of asylum and a decent life for my children. I want a bright and dazzling future for them to succeed in their studies and not have to leave school and work at a young age like their relatives, I see education very important because, I got married and my family did not allow me to continue my education.

I hope your signatures will help us build a safe and bright future away from the sounds of the shells that terrify me and my sons because, I want to help my children and my self I want to work and to be independent I love learning English, I know that it is a language the world speaks, I want to be a good example for my children.

Many thanks

Athraa