Syrian who survived kidnap and imprisonment to set up schools for refugees with his own money

As the sweltering Turkish heat beams down on a makeshift school outside Adana, 30 Syrian children eagerly wait for the start of term.聽

Thirty-five-year old school founder Tamer Altaiar hands a colourful backpack, filled with books, pencils and notepads to each child.聽

For many of these children, this is the first present they have received since the conflict began over six years ago. Being unofficially registered and living in an informal camp makes a recipe for limited humanitarian support.聽

Turkey currently hosts over three million registered Syrian refugees and an estimated one million unregistered. With humanitarian organisations at capacity, demand often outstrips supply.聽

国产视频淭he Syrians living in these camps are incredibly vulnerable,” Altaiar said. “As many of them are illegally in the country, they do not qualify for the Turkish government国产视频檚 support.”

After seeing the desperation of his fellow people, Altaiar – a refugee himself – took on the challenge to provide aid to those in need.聽

Using his own savings and mustering private donations, the Homs native was able to set up three schools in neighbouring camps.聽

With the help of residents and local volunteers, the team spent six days building the schools. 聽

Designed with a meagre budget, the structures are formed by a large tarpaulin sheet that drapes on to metal rods, which are cemented into a concrete base. Old desks and benches are neatly lined in rows and an IKEA white board stands at the front.聽

国产视频淢ost these children have never had an education,” he said.聽

“Before this school they were illiterate. But now they are starting to learn how to read and write. To see the transformation in them has been incredible.”

Mohammad, a 28-year-old university graduate from Idlib, provides children aged between five and 13 with daily Arabic, Turkish, English and maths lessons.聽

Living out of Altaiar国产视频檚 warehouse and borrowing his motorcycle, the teacher commutes between the three schools and receives a small salary.聽

国产视频淯nfortunately, we can only teach the younger children, because after the age of 13 they go off to the nearby farms to work with their parents,国产视频� Altaiar said.聽

国产视频淚 would like to do evening lessons for the older children but we just don国产视频檛 have the funds.国产视频�

A former chemical engineer for an oil company in Norway, he fell into the聽humanitarian world by chance.聽

He said: 国产视频淔or years I had watched my fellow country men suffer in silence. So when the revolution started, I knew I had to be part of it.”聽

As the peaceful revolution turned into a civil war and millions became displaced, Altaiar and his wife moved to Turkey.聽

国产视频淏ut I couldn国产视频檛 sit there and do nothing while my people suffered,国产视频� he said. Forming food kitchens in camps for internally displaced people in the East of Syria, Altaiar commuted between the two countries.聽

But after refusing to pay bribes to militant groups, the humanitarian was kidnapped and imprisoned for over a year.聽

Tortured and starved, Altaiar was on the verge of death when the militant faction dropped him at a local hospital to dispose of his body.聽

国产视频淲hen the doctor saw me, he whispered to me to stay silent and not move,” he said. “He told the militants that I was dead and he would dispose of the body.国产视频澛�

Through the help of the doctor and in conjunction with the Turkish authorities, Altaiar was smuggled out of Syria to safety and spent six weeks in intensive care at a hospital in Antakya.聽

国产视频淲hen my wife came to see my in hospital – she brought a six-month-baby girl with her. I had become a father and I didn国产视频檛 even know it,国产视频� Altair said.聽

Two years and two daughters later, Altaiar has fully recovered and has officially registered with the Turkish authorities as a humanitarian organisation.聽

Along with three schools, Altair has established two women国产视频檚 centre, an autism clinic and provides weekly food parcels to thousands of Syrian refugees. 聽 聽聽

国产视频淚国产视频檓 from Homs City – we have a reputation for being crazy,” he said.聽

“Perhaps that国产视频檚 why I decided to abandoned the wealth and stability for this life.

“But I wouldn国产视频檛 go back. I国产视频檓 able to make a difference to so many peoples lives and to be honest I国产视频檓 proud of what I do.国产视频澛�