For 23 years, Nader Muhammad Bakri had prayed and hoped that God would bless him and his wife with a child of their own. The Syrian civil war that erupted in 2011 and the ensuing chaos and violence made the challenge of trying for a baby even more daunting.
But while the war took much away from the couple, it also gave them the child they had longed for – a baby girl who had been wrapped in a towel and left outside a building in the town of Ariha in Idlib province.
Mr Bakri and his wife found Joriya – the name they gave the baby – at a home set up to care for the increasing numbers of abandoned children in Idlib, one of the last areas of Syria to remain largely under the control of rebel groups.
“The reason that prompted me is that God did not grant me any children of my own,” Mr Bakri, 40, told The National during an interview at his home in the northern Idlib town of Sarmada, where he moved after being forced by the war to leave his hometown of Khan Sheikhoun in the south of the province, and where he now runs a small shop selling food.
“My neighbour took me to the orphanage where there were all these abandoned children and orphans,” he recalled.
After undergoing a screening process, he and his wife were given charge of the little girl who has now become the centre of their lives, he said.
“For me, if God blesses me with children, I am certain that there will be nothing more important than Joriya.”
More than a decade of conflict and violence has turned Syria into one of the most desperate places in the world, but more so for children. While it has been difficult to accurately count the human cost of the war, a UN report released last year said children were experiencing a protection crisis, with 2,438 grave violations recorded in 2022 and 6.3 million children needing protection services.
“Insecurity and economic hardship heighten human rights violations, fear and psychosocial distress, gender-based violence, child marriage and incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse,” the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) said in its report.
The report did not give an official number of children in orphanages or care centres.
Unicef said there were at least 1.2 million children in need of assistance in north-west Syria in 2022, mostly in Idlib where many families are internally displaced, having fled violence in other parts of Syria over the years.
To give these children care and protection, a group of young Syrian volunteers set up the Child’s Home Organisation in Idlib with funding from European countries and Turkey.
“The centre was established in early 2019 due to war, conflicts and repeated displacements,” Hussein Ahmed, an employee at the Child’s Home Organisation told The National. “The centre caters for the children’s basic needs. This includes shelter, food and drink, as well as protection, safety and recreational activities.
“We take in any child who doesn’t have a family or, to be precise, a child who has been abandoned and we don’t know who their parents are. They could be left in hospitals, at mosques, in parks or on the sides of roads.
“Usually, contact is made with the Child’s Home Organisation through our hotline or via our social media channels,” he said.
Raising an orphan or fostering a child is allowed and encouraged in Islam, but western-style adoption is not officially recognised.
Strict rules and guidelines govern the process, with the term “guardianship” used instead of “adoption” in cases where a couple takes in a child that is not their own.
These guidelines apply when finding homes for children in Muslim-dominated Idlib.
“In case it is impossible to reach the biological families after conducting a thorough tracking and tracing process, we then turn to alternative care,” Mr Ahmed said.
“There are many families now applying to foster a child. The family with the highest rating after a thorough evaluation process from our side then gets the right to care for the child.”
That is how Mr Bakri and his wife were matched with Joriya two years ago.
“Before Joriya, we ate and slept, and our lives were very ordinary. There was nothing to work for and try for,” Mr Bakri said.
“I was alone with my wife; why should I build a house? But after I fostered the baby girl, may God protect her, my whole life changed.
“I now have the drive to work and earn, all for Joriya. Everything I own will be marked and I will register it in her name.”
Since only direct biological descendants have the right of inheritance under Islamic law, or Sharia, bequests to unrelated members of a family have to be made in a will.
Mr Bakri said he realised that under Sharia they would have to give up their guardianship of Joriya if her biological parents ever showed up to claim her.
“I am aware that these conditions are in place. If the child’s family found her, they could take her from us. But if they want to take her, I want them to take us together, not take her alone,” Mr Bakri said, half-smiling.
“For my dear Joriya, there is an indescribable love. She is very attached to me and my wife, and we are attached to her even more.”
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHigh%20fever%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntense%20pain%20behind%20your%20eyes%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESevere%20headache%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENausea%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVomiting%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESwollen%20glands%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ERash%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIf%20symptoms%20occur%2C%20they%20usually%20last%20for%20two-seven%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ferrari
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WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Read more about the coronavirus
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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Singapore
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8.
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Australia
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9.
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
