Washington Post: My organization is still working to save lives in Syria — even though the world looks away
Raed Al Saleh, founder and director of Syria Civil Defense/White Helmets

“…The conflict in [Syria] has dragged on for eight long years and shows no sign of abating. … Many governments have recently cut most of their funding to civil society groups in the area, citing the presence of extremist groups — even though the civilian population, which overwhelmingly opposes such groups, is in desperate need of aid and support. … As the bombs continue to fall, I worry constantly about the volunteers and the people they’re trying to protect. Our work is not only in search and rescue. Hundreds of thousands of civilians live in displacement camps across northwest Syria where they are vulnerable not just to airstrikes but to extreme weather. … I ask people around the world to take the side of the Syrian people, in support of our demands for a free, peaceful, and democratic country. We have been failed by politicians, but we still have hope that ordinary people will hear our pleas to stop the war and intervene to protect the civilians in Syria” (4/30).