Life derailed &#8211; Syrian father turns rundown train carriage into home for his children in Daraa

Article by Viory.

Mohammed Awimer and his children spent the past eight months living in a rusting train carriage in Daraa, southern Syria, after soaring rents left them unable to afford a proper house.

Footage filmed on Wednesday shows Awimer entering the train carriage, where the family’s few belongings are piled into the cramped space. The video also shows holes in the roof and walls, while his children sit inside as he prepares an iftar meal.

“I have been living in a train carriage here for about eight months. I moved between several places, and the day before I came here – something no one knows – I slept with my children in the 18th of March Square (downtown Daraa). The next day, I wondered where I could go, and I found no place except the trailers,” Awimer recalled.

He explained that his family ended up homeless after their house was destroyed during the war. He managed to rent an accommodation for a time, but rising prices eventually pushed him out.

“Rents were very high, and there was no balance between living expenses and rent,” he said, adding that he also struggled to find anyone to care for his children when he had to be away.

His son, Qusai Awimer, described the harsh conditions in the accommodation and said his dream was simply to have a home.

According to the Syrian Interim Government’s Ministry of Local Administration and Environment, more than 95,000 homes were damaged between 2011 and December 2024, including over 33,000 that were completely destroyed.

The interim government took over in Damascus in December 2024, with Ahmed Al-Sharaa later appointed interim president, pledging to form an inclusive government.

Since the new government came to power, there have been reports of violence against civilians from Druze, Alawite, Christian and other minority communities.

Article by Viory.