Caroline Donald
Senior Supporter Engagement Manager, UNICEF UK
Help children like Abdulrahman receive vital support, education and hope for a brighter future. Create a lasting impact by including UNICEF UK in your Will.
UNICEF responds for children in emergencies and works every day to support better health care, education and protection for every child around the world. Every child has the right to learn, to go to school and to make friends. Yet, for many children, like Abdulrahman, these basics are threatened by devastating crises.
In 2023 alone, UNICEF reached over
half a million children in Syria with
mental health and psychosocial activities.
The impact of conflict on children
For children like 12-year-old Abdulrahman, who lives in rural Damascus, Syria, conflict has left deep scars. “Bullying hurts me. I feel extremely sad when someone points out my missing hand,” he says, recalling how he felt like quitting school when other children teased him.
Abdulrahman’s father, Fayez, shared the family’s story of hardship brought on by years of conflict in Syria. The violence led to the loss of loved ones, the amputation of Abdulrahman’s hand, and forced the family to move many times in search of safety.
Health, education and protection for every child
Children in crisis zones often lack access to the mental health and psychosocial support they need to survive and thrive. Without this support, the long-term effects can be devastating. UNICEF supported Abdulrahman to enrol in a psychosocial centre, and he also received intensive education to catch up on missed lessons.
Abdulrahman goes to group and individual counselling sessions at the centre, helping him to move forward through his teenage years. Abdulrahman never misses a session. “I have witnessed a positive change in his attitude in general and specifically towards school,” says his dad Fayez.
Abdulrahman has also received a prosthetic hand. “I wear my new hand every day to school. It makes me feel stronger,” he says, before talking about his ambition to be a mechanical engineer. Abdulrahman’s journey illustrates how UNICEF supports children to rebuild and recover from crises, helping them reclaim their lives and futures.
Create a lasting legacy for children
In 2023 alone, UNICEF reached over half a million children in Syria with mental health and psychosocial activities. This work is only possible with support from people like you. A gift in your Will to UNICEF UK is an investment in a better world for every child. UNICEF works with partners and local communities to vaccinate, educate and support more children in need than any other organisation. By leaving a legacy to UNICEF in your will, you can help children across the world, like Abdulrahman, overcome the challenges they face and build brighter futures.
Download a free guide now from UNICEF UK’s website.
