Women

A group of women surrounded a BRC employee who spoke to them in Arabic. They definitely want to be heard, to be heard. Some share their pain and dissatisfaction with the lengthy status process. Others are more enthusiastic and smiling, appreciate the work of Red Cross volunteers with their children and thank us.

***
On this day, Red Cross volunteers organize games and activities for refugee children. The sunny courtyard of the Military Ramp resounds with children's noise and songs. The mood is uplifted and infects mothers and older men. Refugee youth join football and volleyball games amid singing children clapping in a circle of Red Cross volunteers. The movement is full, colorful, colorful and noisy. We have managed to draw a stick of apathy and happily excite the refugee center.
When they see the dictaphone, all the women start talking at once, one by one, they all want to tell us something, hoping that this information will reach someone who can solve their problems. Our support for them is to listen to them, to share their pain, to show them that they are not alone.

"We've been here since July." 3 months.

Woman: I am Jihan. And my life? I came from Kamishli, but for me the case is different. My husband left a long time ago - in 1991 ... I am separated, leave me with the children. I have a girl and a boy - Sandy and Mustafa. I tried to be both their mother and father. It's a shame, it's not a child's sin. And the war… I have no husband.

The woman in the purple dress: I'm a hairdresser, if you want I can make you a nice haircut. I like what you do, how you treat our children, that you entertain them with games, I really liked it. Let me do your hair.

Another woman: I came yesterday. In the evening. The children are happy today because you made them relax, play, sing with your volunteers. This is my aunt, with her children, and she came with us. Thank you very much. I like you!

Another woman: I've been here for 15 days. We were in Harmanli before. I have heart problems. There is no electricity in Harmanli.

She is young. She says she is alone and is looking for an answer: How long will we get status?
- We are from the Red Cross, we have no data.
- Yes, but if you happen to have any data… And why was I first in the closed center and then in the open? Why did they put me in jail? Why didn't they bring us from the border right here? We stayed for 3 months in the closed center, and in the end, I don't count it. If they had brought us straight to the open camp, we would have received status long ago. It's a shame, three months went in vain…
(everyone speaks at the same time)
- I want to get a status to get a passport and go to another country. To rent a house. And for my passport I need another 1 month to go to another country. You help us a lot, but above all we want to get status!

One of the women separated from the group and wished to be interviewed.
" Ask me, I'll tell you."
- How many children do you have?
- I am with my husband, my father and my mother. A total of 27 people. I have a child and I am eight months pregnant.
" Where are you from?"
"From Hasake."
" What's your name?"
- My name is Maali and I am 27 years old.
- How long have you been in Bulgaria?
- For about 20 days.
" How long have you been from here?"
- 3-4 days and 6 hours in the woods between Turkey and Bulgaria.
- You and your family, have you ever received help from the Red Cross?
"We'll get it for the first time."
- How old is your child?
- At 2 years old and something.
- Do you have problems, what do you need, how can we help you?
- I am 8 months pregnant. I need status as soon as possible, because of the children.
" I want to go or go out and rent a house."
- I am looking for a better place to give birth and raise my children, to be happy.
" Why did you flee Syria?"
- From the shelling of armed terrorists. My uncle died, my nephew died. My cousin and his son are injured. They are in Turkey, they do not want to cross the forest.

We part smiling and we know that we will see each other again in a few days. At the next distribution of hot soup, or at the next classes and games of the volunteers of the Red Cross with the children of the refugees.

Chaotic children running around the yard, mostly under the age of three. Their mothers lined up for donations. At the front are several women in advanced pregnancy with a tired and sleepless appearance.

We are fleeing the war

- Where are you from? Tell me how you ran?
"My name is Aisha and I'm from Syria." I am 7 months pregnant. We are fleeing the war. We are Kurds from Kamishli. They took us through Turkey. We had reached that point by truck. We walked to the Bulgarian border for at least 9-10 hours, it was very difficult and hard ... A real nightmare.
- And weren't you afraid that something would happen to you on the way, I see that you are pregnant too?
- Yes, in the eighth month, my name is Delilah. I'm from Syria, but I'm Kurdish. In fact, we are all Kurds here. We walked for 7 hours with the five children. I was not afraid, but what could we do? Death haunts you everywhere, and we don't care if we die on the way. We had no choice but to go and flee this senseless war! We did it for the children and what is in my stomach! You can't imagine what it's like when bombs fall.
"Who exactly were you from?"
- There is a war in Syria at the moment! It's such a mess that you don't even know who is killing whom! But the main thing is to kill each other! It's a horror, a complete nightmare. We do not know who is who, whether he is a Kurd, a Muslim, a Syrian or someone else - there is such a hell, we just want to save our children from the death that haunts us everywhere!

"We are fleeing the war!" Repeated the numerous mothers in the queue for clothes and blankets at the Military Ramp refugee center ... A queue for a new life, for new hope and complete ignorance of what awaits them tomorrow.

Women want to return to their homes!

"Ah, what have these men got us into," the women from the Military Ramp refugee center shouted in unison. They do not understand and are not interested in politics, but want to have a home and peacefully raise their many children ... This is their dream.
"How do you feel now that you've escaped and are away from the bullets?"
"Oh, I'm not talking," Salima sighed. Remembering how we ran through the woods - pregnant and my four children. During the night we saw nothing but the clear sky above us. The children fell asleep, their legs intertwined, which is bigger - sleepy sleepless, walking, what to do. We carry the smaller ones in our arms ... It was very heavy.
"Do you know who you're running from?"
- I know, we are fleeing the war. But we have no idea who is fighting whom. All I know is that we are very scared.