War took my childhood

Now I'm afraid it will take my motherhood too

Friend, when you flee your home in the middle of the night, there’s no time to grab your toothbrush, shampoo or other hygiene items.  You grab your child and you run. The things most of us reach for every morning without thinking — they get left behind.  In the middle of a cold, rainy night in northeastern Syria, Rawan* grabbed what she could — one small bag — and fled with her husband and 1-year-old daughter, Helen.* Their escape was difficult: Rawan was 9 months pregnant. She spent 8 hours crammed into the back of a car with three other families. She was terrified of getting sick, and scared of losing her baby. When they finally arrived at the temporary shelter, everything in that one small bag was soaked from the rain. But Rawan didn’t stop. She never does. War has shaped nearly her entire life. She’s been displaced five times. The first time, she was a child herself. This time, she’s a mother, doing everything in her power to make sure her family survives.  Right now, you can help mothers like Rawan protect their children in the middle of displacement, hunger and poverty. Your gift today helps provide safety, stability and the resources children need to survive and look toward a brighter future.   Rawan and her family hadn't showered for 10 days when they arrived at the shelter. For a pregnant mother and a 1-year-old child, going days or weeks without basic hygiene isn’t just uncomfortable — it’s dangerous. In crowded shelters, infections spread quickly. Without sanitary pads, women face serious health risks. Without soap and safe water, a baby grows more vulnerable every single day.   Save the Children provided Rawan and families living in her shelter with dignity kits filled with essential supplies such as soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, sanitary pads, underwear and other necessities. These items aren’t luxuries. They’re the difference between staying healthy and getting sick. Between keeping your baby safe and watching an infection take hold.  For Rawan — who was preparing to give birth, protecting Helen and keeping her family together by sheer force of will — these supplies were a lifeline. Rawan will do whatever it takes to keep her children safe. She’ll do it again. What she and millions of displaced parents and children need right now is basic assistance to help them get through the most difficult moments of their lives. Give now to provide the essentials children and families need to stay healthy, learning and safe in crisis zones around the world. This is Day 4 of our displacement series. Watch your inbox for more stories of families who refuse to give up. Thank you, Save the Children      Privacy Policy | Contact | Unsubscribe   © 2026 Save the Children Federation, Inc. 501 Kings Highway East, Suite 400 Fairfield, CT 06825 1-800-728-3843 Photo: Save the Children *Names changed for protection