Zayd is an eight-year-old boy and one of many children living in a displacement camp in northeast Syria. Having spent most of his life in the camp, he has discovered the world through reading books. His mother has always supported his love of reading. When she heard about a community center in their section of the camp, she signed her son up to be part of the center’s activities for children.
Blumont manages the camp where Zayd lives and provides a range of services to camp residents. Our team built and operates several community centers, which are used for recreational and informational activities. For Zayd, the center is a space he can treat as a library. There are many books to read, adults to help him learn, and other children to play with.
Zayd visits the community center almost every day to read with a Blumont team member. Day after day, our protection officer Perwin found him new stories to read, but could not satisfy the boy’s appetite for reading. So, one day, she suggested he write his own story.
He was hesitant at first, not sure where to start. Perwin walked him through the main elements of any good story: characters, a plot, and a main lesson to learn. Zayd thought about these ideas and then left for the day.
Perwin didn’t see Zayd for two days after that. When he did return, Zayd brought his own story to share about an adventurous boy and a brown bear.
Cover art by Perwin for Zayd’s book, “Ammar and the Bear.”
The young author’s creation, “Ammar and the Bear,” is rooted in childhood imagination. It teaches the reader about the importance of friendship and tolerance through simple characters and a heartwarming plot.
To bring Zayd’s story to life, Perwin put her own artistic talents to work. She illustrated each page of the story with Zayd’s guidance. Her paintings bring a sense of wonder and magic to his story.
Zayd’s dream is for other children to read his story. He wants others to feel the joy he experiences when reading a book.
Blumont has converted the story and illustrations into a book, which will be available in the camp’s library. You can also read “Ammar and the Bear” here in a digital format.
