Can you believe that a single foster care story gave us hope to change the lives of more than fifty separated children in Syria?
He arrived with a small note bearing his name
Since our founding in 2019, Child Houses has worked to build trust with local communities—first in Idlib, then Aleppo’s Al-Shahbaa, and today in Damascus, following Syria’s liberation.
Our mission has always been to transform the country’s approach to alternative care: to promote foster care, reunify separated children with their families, and spread the belief that every child deserves a loving home. Over time, the community began to know our work more closely—understanding, engaging, and eventually becoming a true partner in this shared mission.
One of the most remarkable examples of this partnership began with a single foster care story we shared on our social media platforms. (Watch the film here). It told of a compassionate family who decided to foster a child separated from our temporary shelter. We documented the process step by step—each moment filled with sincerity and emotion.
Because of its authenticity, the story reached more than 100,000 people, sparking immense engagement. Soon after, over fifty families contacted us, expressing genuine interest in fostering or supporting separated children. Guided through the process by our Alternative Care Officer, many took real steps toward offering a child a second chance at family life.
As a result, our Family Bank—a registry of families ready to foster—grew by more than thirty new families, each prepared to welcome a child with love, stability, and care.
This experience goes far beyond numbers. It stands as living proof that when communities truly understand and embrace the importance of family-based care, they become active partners in change. Together, we can build a future where every separated child in Syria finds safety, belonging, and love in the arms of a family ready to say: “We are here — and we choose you.”
