Santa isn’t real right? Well he might just be for a group of children living in war-torn Syria thanks to amazing, charitable human being Rami Adham. He may be already be busy with his 6 kids, but when your heart is so big, you simply cannot solely take care of your own pack. He helps he managed to find the time to travel over 28 times from Helsinski to Syria over the course of four years. And if you thought for one second that his road was easy peasy, think again. Rami has to carry heavy sacks, (up to a whooping 155 pounds) in a very *Santa-esque* fashion (but without the helping hands of his efficient gnomes) through the mountainous border region to cross over to Syria. The official border is usually closed due to heavy traffic.Rami helps provide basic supplies, food and other donations. When he took his first trip, his little three-year-old daughter suggested he should take some toys for the children. Little did they know that that would turn him into a local hero.
Without any magical elves, reindeer and the ability to travel to every country in a blink of an eye, Rami manages to bring joy to the world of these beautiful children who desperately need some hope.
He brings a variety of toys. Girls get Barbie dolls while boys love to play with footballs, cars and teddy bears and they all help them, at least momentarily, get distracted away from the horrors of war.
Rami has had to carry heavy bags containing Barbie dolls, soft toys and other miscellaneous toys. Sometimes, he has to walk up to 16 hours to get there.
The response and faces of the children is what keeps warming Rami’s heart, making him want to come back and help some more. Some of these kids haven’t seen a single toy in ages.
Rami had set up the headquarters in the city but it was badly hit by an airstrike, killing two of his friends. There were nine casualties in total. Now, the children have found a way to cope with these strike by using the crater as a pond. They have a natural pool to play in.
Children living in war torn countries are so used to the horrendous things they’ve seen that they’re no longer afraid of death, in fact, some would rather die than go on living a life of misery and abandonment. Some of them don’t even speak, but when they’re given a toy, they greet you with the biggest, most innocent smile.
Let him explain it in his own heroic words, “That is this feeling that nourishes me, that charges my batteries. “
“These little heroes that represent Syria’s future are to me extremely valuable to preserve, to give them a moment out of the fear and instability,” said Remi.
As you can imagine, Rami’s seen a lot more than the media will show. There is one girl in particular, a six-year-old that is stuck forever in his mind. She didn’t mum a single word. The government had raided her home, kicked her out and set her own dad on fire after locking him in a cupboard. Her mother has been missing ever since.
Not only does he help children and refugees with food and other supplies, risking his life by walking endless hours. He wants to build schools in refugee camps.
The schools would provide a support system, some sense of normality after losing it all. Their families, homes, and even the opportunity to go to school.
The whole trip might be rough. Having to take a plane, walk for miles, and deal with all the logistics of transporting so many goods.
It’s exhausting, for sure, and extremely dangerous, but you will never fear plastered on his face. Rami is a happy man, because helping out makes him feel recharged.
