Houssein comes from a small town in the Damascan countryside called Al-Ghouta. Here is his story, as told to us by him:

The pretty village of Ain Halakim is situated between Hama and le Krak des Chevaliers in the " Christian Valley" as it is called.

The Al Masri family was living in Qusair, a small town not far from Homs. The father was a primary school teacher and all was going well until their town was besieged. The siege lasted 5 months.

Young Rami, 30, and his family fled Homs two years ago after having
 lost their home and all of their possessions.  Rami now lives in Damascus in a one-room apartment with his father, sister and one of his brothers. His mother who was suffering from cancer, died last month.

Asmar and his family were living in the suburb of Saladin in Aleppo where he was managing a furniture store and an internet café. The first was destroyed by the Regime and the second was
 confiscated by the Army.


Madeline is the oldest child in a family of six people. With her father, mother and three brothers, she was  living at Qaboun, a suburb to the north east of Damas which was controlled by the Rebels. It was near Qaboun in August 2013 that there was a bio-chemical weapons attack and several hundred civilians were killed.

Abou Tarek was living with his wife, their daughter and two sons at Qousseir in the Homs region. He owned a small repair shop before retiring.

We are proposing that this month you aid the Parish of Our Lady of Hope located in the town of Qatana about 30 kilometres to the south-west of the Syrian capital. Situated on the Cheikh valley, this town is a military stronghold of the Baas regime currently in power.

The family of Abou Ahmed - a family plagued by deplacements

The family of Abou Ahmed is living under very difficult conditions which resemble that of bedouins. They were originally from Quoneitra, a town in the Golan Heights occupied by the Israeli Army since 1967.

Rana and her husband were living in Jdaidet Artouz, a disputed suburb in the southwest of Damascus, a place where several civilian massacres have occurred during the course of the war.

In association with the Al Oumma charity organisation which operates in Aleppo, Coup de Pouce is proposing this month to aid five women whose families have been decimated by the war.

SIMON YA'KO - Bombing victim
Simon is married, has two children and used to work in a laboratory.