Hello,

My name is Lotta, and I am raising funds for my friend Hadi Abd. I live in North Germany, Hadi lives in Aleppo, Syria. We got in touch some months ago — I was to teach him English, while he would teach me Arabic. We spent many hours talking on the phone and I had the honour of getting to know a man who, notwithstanding a life interwoven with war and loss, a body carrying the scars of harrowing torture, is still here and remains a remarkably kind, compassionate, funny, and strong person.

While Hadi's story is his to tell — from the war and the violence of the regime to the recent rebel offensive and overthrow of the Assad dynasty — I urge you to provide some safety to Hadi and his family as they navigate a new, post-Assad reality in Syria, marked by a deteriorating economy that leaves millions struggling to survive.

My name is Hadi Abd. I am 26 years old, from Syria, and I live in Aleppo. My father died when I was young. I live with my mother, who is battling cancer, and my sister, who lost her husband in the war.

We suffered greatly from the war in Syria. In the past, I was a person full of energy and hope. I had a lot of dreams... I studied Economics and Public Relations and had a passion for theatre. I loved to help others. But under Bashar al-Assad's regime, I was arrested, beaten, tortured, and electrocuted. I was subjected to physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. Torture stripped me of my dreams.

Now that the dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime has fallen... The chaos in Syria has left us in very harsh conditions. We lack the minimum necessities for life. I can't get food. I can't get my mother's cancer treatment or access the medical care I need to address the damage caused by the electric shocks I endured during my detention. We have no access to heating. Everything is becoming more expensive. The house we live in... The rent was doubled and I have no money to pay the rent. With no jobs or sources of income, survival has become a daily struggle.

My family and I are living through a real humanitarian catastrophe. We urgently need support to secure food, medications, and a safe place to live, so that we can continue to survive.

Any donation, no matter how small, can make a big difference. We thank you with all our hearts.