#SaveSyriasChildren

#SaveSyriasChildren

I don't pretend to be a political expert. I'm not.

I don't pretend to understand the intricacies and the whys of the Syrian War. I don't.

I do know that there are 4 million Syrian refugees in host countries but more than 15 million Syrian people who still need our help with over 50% of refugees being children, who have lost everything.

I do know that there are people like Abdullah Kurdi who have lost more than everything, who have lost their entire reason to live.

There is a new face of the Syrian Refugee Crisis. A cheeky, chubby, laughing 3 year old Toddler face. A face that reminds me of my cheeky 3 year old Toddler, but my 3 year old is asleep in bed, his brother in the room next to him and his mummy listening out for them both downstairs.

This is not the case for Aylan Kurdi.

This is not the case for his brother, Galip.

This is not the case for his mummy, Rehan.

This is the family of the man who has lost his heart, Abdullah Kurdi. These are the images that haunt you. This is the reality of the desperation - the tragic drowning of Aylan Kurdi, aged 3.

Can you even begin to imagine the pain of his father calling their names, trying to hold on to them? Having them slip through his fingers. Hoping against hope that they might just be there when he makes it to their meeting point. To be faced with the horror he is now faced with. A life without his family. His heart. His loves. The boys that woke him every morning to play with him. The wife that lay her head next to his every night.

And while I'm no political expert I am a human. I feel. I see. And now I see I realise I should have seen sooner. We all should. It shouldn't take the death of a child to see what should have been seen already. It shouldn't be the death of a child, and the death of thousands of other desperate refugees seeking solace, that make us see. It shouldn't have reached this point.

Its not about the supposed "migrant crisis" which in fact would imply that there is a choice. There's not. It's not a "migrant" crisis at all. It's people seeking refuge. Help. Support. It's a refugee situation.

It's not about you. It's not about me. It's about us. It's about them. It's about humanity.

People are suffering. People are hurting. People are standing by and watching worried about other things. People are worried about refugees entering their country when in reality they should be worrying about what is driving people to leave their country. It's not a decision to be taken lightly. Even in light of what happened to the Kurdi family people will still be fleeing Syria. They know the risks. They are willing to take them. To put their children through them. Doesn't that tell us everything we need to know? That you know there is a chance that your child, your heart, your life, might not make it, that you might not? But that's a risk you need to take.

That's why we should all stand together and help.

"Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something"

Not everyone reads the news. Not everyone will be aware of the why's behind the horror. Not everyone will know how they can help. So that's why I'm taking part in #SaveSyriasChildren campaign raising money for Save the Children UK.

To join in is simple, take a black and white photo of your child, children or yourself holding a sign saying "it could have been me #savesyriaschildren" and make a donation of £5 to Save The Children by texting the word SYRIA to 70008* or visiting the Save Syria Children donation page on the Save the Children website.

Then posting the picture to Facebook along with the following words:

There's lots that you could do from the comfort of your own home.

Please don't turn a blind eye. Do Something to help. Anything.

Whatever you decide, don't choose apathy.

#SaveSyriasChildren

To donate £5 to Save the Children please text SYRIA to 70008 or visit http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/about-us/emergencies/syria-appeal

Because let's face facts, we don't know what the future holds, and it could have been you.

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