Navid from ModernAdvisor Shares his Story of Getting Involved with Save the Children

I was born during the Iran-Iraq war (which lasted from 1980 -1988) in Shiraz, Iran. Shiraz, a large city situated in the Southwest of Iran was frequently targeted by Iraqi missile and air strikes during the many years of war. Our home was not far from a manufacturing centre for electronics and communication equipment, and the community was frequently at risk from attacks directed there. We lived with a constant fear and anxiety that, as a child not yet even in school, I could sense but not truly appreciate at the time.

While I have many wonderful childhood memories, I do still recall the dark days of the Iran-Iraq conflict, and the frequent piercing cry of the air raid sirens, coming unexpectedly, day or night, warning of an impending air strike or missile barrage. This frightening wail would force us to rush into the safety of the shelter my father had constructed for us in our front yard, with our family and neighbours. It was frightening, it was confusing, but the assurances of my family and the protection of the shelter kept hope burning for us all that we would be okay.

Millions of civilians in Syria today are living in a war zone more frightening than I can imagine, not only at risk of artillery strikes or long range fighting, but caught in the cross fire of direct, on the ground warfare. For so many, their homes have been decimated, and they have nowhere to run to find safety. Often, the children have no homes to return to, no semblance of sanctuary to be found at all, just the fear and violence driving them further and further from where they once called home.

Being trapped in such a world without the sense of community and protection from my own childhood is unimaginable for me, and I feel strongly that we have a responsibility as human beings to do what we can to aid those who are so exposed and in such terrible need.

I’ve come to feel this even stronger since the birth of our first child, and I cannot even imagine the helplessness a parent must feel looking at the faces of children who are so completely vulnerable in such horrendous conditions. This is why, through ModernAdvisor, we are providing a small piece of the support needed to keep young and vulnerable families from experiencing the same fate that tens of thousands of women and children who have already been killed in the conflicts in Syria.

Please join us in believing that every effort, no matter how small, can contribute to protecting those who are frightened and cannot protect themselves without help. Our partnership with Save the Children will provide outreach aid to those children and their families hit hardest by the conflict, and tell them that where there is humanity and compassion, there is still hope.