Finding hope in tragedy: Rami’s Story - GOAL Global Skip to content

Finding hope in tragedy: Rami’s Story

 

February 6, 2025 • 3 min read

Since February 2013, Rami Alsopea has worked as a Field Programme Coordinator in Syria with GOAL. In February 2023, a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkiye and Syria, causing horrendous destruction to Rami’s community. Amid personal tragedy, Rami found a renewed sense of purpose

Personal Tragedy

My work is driven by a deep commitment to humanitarian principles and the belief that every action should contribute to the dignity and well-being of those we serve. One of the most difficult experiences I’ve ever encountered came during the aftermath of the earthquakes.

The scale of the disaster was overwhelming. For me, the shock hit especially hard when I learned that my sister and her family were trapped under the rubble. The fear and uncertainty were almost unbearable, and the emotional toll was compounded by the news that some of my closest friends and colleagues, including 32 members of GOAL’s team, were among the casualties.

A renewed sense of purpose

Amid this personal tragedy, I was faced with an enormous professional responsibility. The affected communities needed immediate assistance, and there was no time to pause and process my grief. As a humanitarian, the expectation is to be strong, to be the one others lean on during a crisis. But at that moment, I felt a deep internal struggle between my own anguish and the demands of my role.

However, it was also precisely in this moment of despair that I found a renewed sense of purpose. I realized that the best way to honour the memories of my sister, her family, my friends, and my colleagues was to continue the work they believed in so passionately. I decided to dedicate every effort I made to their memory. This shift in perspective transformed my grief into a powerful motivator. I began to see my work not just as a duty but as a tribute to those we lost. The pain of loss became a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of our mission.

Finding hope

In the following days and weeks, I found strength I didn’t know I had. Despite the emotional weight, I became more determined than ever to ensure that the families we served received the support they desperately needed. The stories of resilience and courage from those who had survived the earthquakes inspired me to this day. They reminded me that even in the darkest times, there is always hope, and that our work as humanitarians can bring light to even the most devastated communities.

GOAL in Syria

After more than a decade of conflict, over 6.8 millions Syrians are internally displaced. 70% of Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance and relying on aid to survive day-to-day.

GOAL teams have been working on the ground in Syria since the conflict began in 2012. In the last year GOAL’s emergency response programme has reached over 287,000 newly displaced people with food, cooking supplies and financial assistance. As GOAL engineers repair damage to water network infrastructure, more than 1.1 million people are now able to access clean drinking water in their homes. A further 430,000 people are benefitting from GOAL’s bakery programme in Northwest Syria.

Support GOAL’s work in Syria by donating today.

Rami and his team work to repair water networks in Syria