After waiting for one year, Amer walks with a prothesis

Amer (11) and his family were displaced for seven years before returning to their village in Deir Ezzor last year, when the fighting ended. Like many families, they were eager to return home after years of uncertainty. But only weeks after they returned, Amer was badly injured by an explosive ordnance and lost his leg in the accident.

A tragedy too common in Syria

This is a story all too common in Syria: a group of children are playing outside when one of them picks up an object that turns out to be an explosive device, injuring them all. Amer was seriously injured in such circumstances in 2025. HI's Director for Syria, Danila Zizi, explains the extent of the explosive ordnance contamination in Syria:

“After 13 years of armed violence, the contamination is everywhere in Syria. Since 8 December 2024, 1,261 explosive-ordnance-related incidents have been recorded, resulting in 2,288 casualties. The majority of incidents continue to occur in agricultural and grazing areas. For many families, accessing farmland, grazing livestock, travelling to services or simply allowing children to play outdoors continues to carry unacceptable risks.”

An overstretched health system

First, Amer used a wheelchair, then crutches. The family regularly travelled to the Al-Kasra Hospital for consultation – a two-hour road from their place - a journey that was both exhausting and costly. His mother accompanied him to appointments, but there were days when he did not want to go. His grandfather explains that every step took time, patience, and many trips for consultations:

"Even when he was using crutches, I still had to carry him sometimes," he says. "Now, with the prosthesis, things are a bit easier. He still needs time to get used to it, but he feels lighter and more independent."

He eventually received a prosthesis in December 2025, after almost a year on a waiting list. The combination of overwhelming demand, limited rehabilitation capacity, and funding cuts that further affected service provision explain why Amer had to wait nearly a year before receiving his prosthesis.

Clearance changed life in the village

Some of the land surrounding Amer’s village has recently been cleared of explosive ordnance, reducing some of the risks that continue to affect daily life. People feel slightly more reassured than before. Amer wants to play outside, learn, and spend time with the things he loves. 
"Now I like to play every day with the other children around me," Amer says. "And I love raising doves."

Amer keeps pigeons and has an aviary on the roof of his house. He talks about them proudly and spends much of his time caring for them.

When Amer will be back to school 

et many challenges remain. Amer and his siblings are still out of school. The nearest one is just 500 metres away, but it was damaged during the conflict and has not been repaired. Another school is further away, but the distance remains difficult for him. He has to walk a long way to get there, so he prefers not to go. His leg still hurts when he walks long distances.

"I wish there was a school closer to us so I could study," Amer says. "I want to go to school like other children. Walking long distances still hurts."

Villages are livelier but people are exhausted

HI Advocacy Advisor Noor Bimbashi who visited Amer’s village last year was back last May: 

« Amer's village, Khasham, feels much more alive compared to my first visit last year. Families have managed to repair or rebuild parts of their homes. There are many more people around. Children are playing in the streets and around the village, which is something I hardly saw during my previous visit. But everyone seem more tired. Last year, despite everything they have been through, many still spoke with a sense of hope and expectation that things would gradually improve. This time, I have heard from many families that they are exhausted and need support. Life has not become easier, and for some, the daily struggle feels even heavier because there are no jobs, everyone is poor, and access to food is a daily struggle. The extent of contamination also shocked them when they came back. HI cleared the village last year. Many families still remember the work we carried out around their homes. Several people thanked us again, even months later. They continue to hear about accidents in nearby areas, which reminds them that the danger is still very real. So, while there are visible signs of recovery and more people are returning, there is also a sense that communities are carrying a growing burden and cannot rebuild on their own.”