Support Syrian White Helmets

As people of the world we need to unite and support the people of Syria.

Here is one way how we can all help this Christmas.

I am hoping as parents and members of this amazing human race we can put forward the message this Christmas that each of us can indeed help the people of Syria inspite of how bloody helpless, removed and distant we may feel.

I look at the innocence of my 6 month old son and daily I recognize within me this fierce and proud love I feel for him. It is true, as a mother I would climb the highest mountain and walk through a river of fire to protect him! I imagine and sometimes anxiously anticipate what the world will bare for him and my husband and I frequently discuss the blunt reality that our son is one of the most blessed people in the world. He is born into love, he is healthy, he has resources at his disposal and he is safe. So much of this can directly be attributed to the share dumb luck of where we have been born. In NZ and Australia we are safe and secure and I do not for a second take this for granted.

The death toll of the crisis in Syria is estimated to be over 450,000 with over 50,000 of these casualties as children. It has rattled me and I am angry that more has not been done to prevent these casualties and I – like many other armchair warriors – have felt helpless to commit to anything that could assist. Where to even begin? What can I do from here? How would I know anything I could offer would be even utilized by the right people?

We could all sit back and do nothing but simmer and boil in our frustration as we read the updates on our newsfeeds and then flip back to our daily lives of busy hustle and bustle tending to our family flocks – or – we could rustle up some support and this Christmas feel pride knowing we actually did something directly to help.

The White Helmets of Syria are a volunteer based group of citizens who mobilized early in the Syrian crisis with one simple motto ‘ to save one life, is to save of humanity’. These phenomenal humans have put themselves on the front line to rescue the injured and provide safe medical treatment and security. The White Helmets were bakers, tailors, engineers, pharmacists, students and more and now they are the people working directly to save some other mothers child whilst risking their own lives and I cannot think of anything more moving nor braver than this.

My husband Peter and I have started this give a little page to gather funds to pay directly to the Syrian White Helmets. We will kick start the fund with a $1,500 donation and hope that friends, family and colleagues will join us in whatever amount they can afford. From my research I am confident that this money will be fully utilized to continue the work so urgently needed in this most dire of conflicts and aftermath of the war.

For those wanting more information on the White Helmets I urge you to watch the Netflix Documentary Short titled ‘The White Helmets’ or visit their page whitehelmets.org

So this is a cry out to all the mothers, fathers and children of the world to not allow hindsight to simply disgust us but to give something, anything to help those who desperately need it. No amount is too small - if even half our combined facebook friends or work colleagues topped up our offering by even $5 each this amounts to a lot to help provide much needed safety equipment, medical treatment and necessary provisions.

The reality is only with money can supply and aid continue. Imagine what this would mean to the people of Syria and how many more children could be saved from a desperate situation or death if we all just took a moment to give what we can each afford.

Merry Christmas to you all,

With love, Laura-Jean, Peter and Israh!