No home left

"We have no home left . . . we lost everything we owned." 

That's what Abu Al-majd, 67 and a father of 11, said about the situation facing him and his family following the earthquake that hit Syria and Türkiye in February this year. 

The earthquake affected over 40 million people in both countries, resulting in over 116,668 injuries and more than 51,000 deaths. Families in the affected regions still struggle to acquire basic necessities such as electricity, water, and adequate shelter. 

Abu Al-majd and his family lived in an apartment near Aleppo before the earthquake, which destroyed their home.  

The earthquake, which struck in the early morning when the family was asleep, was terrifying. 

"The building began shaking violently, and the walls cracked. I rushed to get out of the house with my family," he said. 

His family members who lived with him all survived, but a son and his wife who lived in a nearby building, along with their young son, were killed. 

Today they live in a camp--a challenging experience for everyone. 

"We need everything that is necessary for daily life here in the camp," he said, noting there is no clean water in the area. 

Their lives are made a bit easier through assistance from Islamic Relief Canada, a member of the Humanitarian Coalition, which is providing food, water tanks, garbage containers, wash facilities and other non-food items to residents of the camp. 

While grateful for the assistance, Abu Al-majd is looking ahead to when they can leave the camp. "I hope to get a residential house where I will live with my family," he said.