VOLUNTEER STORY

Manal Chahrour Suede ·  AHR Volunteer

Hamza joined the AHR mission and traveled with the humanitarian team to visit refugee campsin Jordan. I worried constantly. He was young, passionate, and deeply affected by the injusticehe witnessed. I feared the emotional weight of those experiences.

But when he returned, something remarkable had changed.

He came back not broken by what he had witnessed but strengthened by purpose. He spokeabout families living in tents, about children who smiled with pride despite unimaginablehardship, and about the quiet resilience of people who had lost everything.

He told me something I will never forget:

“In different circumstances, that could have been us. We could have been the family in the tent,not knowing what tomorrow would bring.”

His experience planted a seed in our entire family.

A year later, my husband decided to join a mission as well, supporting AHR in its efforts toprovide medical and surgical care. When the opportunity arose, our other son, Khaled then seventeen eagerly stepped forward and insisted on joining his brother.

They returned with stories that were difficult to hear yet impossible to ignore stories of resilience, patience, and strength. They shared photos of barbed-wire camps scattered across the desert and of children smiling proudly with Syrian pride despite the harsh living conditions.

They spoke of grateful patients, long workdays, and volunteers who pushed themselves beyond exhaustion because the need was so great.

Their bodies were tired and their hearts often heavy with sadness, but their souls were filled with something deeper: purpose.

Volunteering had changed them and in truth, it changed all of us.

 A year later, my husband returned for another mission with Khaled by his side. That third trip deepened their commitment even further. Each mission exposed them to new stories, new challenges, and new reminders of the strength and dignity of the people they were serving. Everytime they returned, they carried not only memories of hardship but also powerful lessons in resilience, gratitude, and humanity

These experiences continued to shape our family in ways we never expected.

Then history turned a page.

After the liberation of Syria, AHR announced the first mission back to Syria in April 2025. Themoment I heard the news, I knew in my heart that I had to be part of it. I immediately told myfamily, “I want to go. I need to go.” I could not imagine standing on the sidelines while a newchapter for our homeland was beginning.

Joining the “Mother of Martyrs” mission became one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Being part of that mission allowed me to witness firsthand the difference even the simplest act ofcare can make. As a pharmacist, I saw how a single prescription, a moment of patient counseling, or access to essential medications could change someone’s life. I also experienced something deeper being surrounded by a dedicated community of volunteers united by compassion and service.

There is an emotional weight that comes with humanitarian work. You feel the heartache of others deeply. Yet at the same time, there is a powerful sense of peace that comes from knowing you are contributing even in a small way. It is a feeling that cannot truly be described in words.

During that mission, I also realized something important: sending my sons on those earlier missions had been the right decision. What began as a mother’s hesitation had become one of ourfamily’s greatest blessings. Our lives had crossed paths with AHR for a reason.

Being part of AHR gave our family hope. It gave us purpose. It strengthened our faith in thepower of community service.

Through this journey, we met remarkable people, formed lifelong friendships, and discovered new depths of compassion within ourselves. Volunteering pushed us to grow—to become better and more mindful versions of ourselves.

 When the “Restoring Hope” mission was later announced, I had no doubt in my mind that I would join again. This time, our daughter Farah, who was 21 years old—joined us as well. It washer first time returning to Syria in fifteen years. For her, the journey was deeply emotional. Walking on the soil of her birthplace again after so long brought a mix of nostalgia, gratitude, and reflection. Being able to serve the people of Syria during that visit made the experience even more meaningful.

Drawing on my experience from the previous mission and my professional background as aclinical and infectious disease pharmacist, I focused on helping improve pharmacy processesbefore and during the mission. I also wanted to contribute in another way—through education.

We introduced a diabetes education workshop for patients, and the response was overwhelming. Patients were eager for knowledge. They asked countless questions, shared their concerns, and many long-held myths about diabetes were finally addressed. It was a powerful reminder that education itself is a form of humanitarian service.

Another meaningful moment was delivering a lecture to medical students about the importance of antimicrobial stewardship. Sharing knowledge with the next generation of healthcare professionals felt just as impactful as providing medication.

Throughout the two missions I joined in Syria, a part of my heart always stayed behind at home with a family friend who, in their own way, were also contributing. My youngest son, Jad, remained in the United States while the rest of the family traveled. It was never easy leaving him behind, but watching his siblings and parents volunteer with AHR has inspired him in his own way. Now he often asks when it will be his turn to join and become part of the beautiful work being carried out through AHR.