On World Refugee Day, we honor the strength, courage, and resilience of people forced to flee their homes. But while much of the global narrative focuses on asylum, resettlement, and integration abroad, another question quietly grows in the hearts of millions of Syrians:

“When can I go home?”

As the Assad regime nears collapse, the possibility of returning to Syria — after over a decade of displacement — stirs a complex mixture of hope, grief, and anxiety. But the dream of going home must be matched by a real plan to make home livable again.

🛋️ The Challenges of Returning Home

Even after a political transition, the challenges awaiting returning refugees are monumental. Many who attempted to return over the past decade found destruction worse than they remembered — and returned back into exile.

Destroyed Homes & Neighborhoods

• Over 3 million homes have been destroyed.

• Entire cities like Aleppo, Homs, and rural Damascus lie in rubble.

• Families often find their homes looted, bulldozed, or seized — if they exist at all.

“I walked for two hours just to find the outline of where my house used to be. There was nothing left.”
— Ahmad, 43, returned from Lebanon to eastern Aleppo in 2022, but left again three weeks later

Lack of Infrastructure

• Water, electricity, sewage, and transport systems are either destroyed or dangerously outdated.

• Over 150,000 schools have been damaged or demolished.

• Health care services and institutions operate far below basic capacity.

“My children had nowhere to study. The school building was used as a military checkpoint. There weren’t even windows.”
— Huda, mother of three, returned to rural Homs

Loss of Documentation & Property Rights

• Many returnees have no legal proof of ownership.

• Civil registry records have been lost or tampered with during the war.

No Economic System to Return To

• Jobs are scarce, especially for youth and former professionals.

• Without income, rebuilding is nearly impossible.

“Even if I rebuild my house, what then? There’s no electricity. No work. No future for my kids.”
— Rami, 29, returned from Turkey, now back in Gaziantep

🚩 UNHCR’s Filippo Grandi: Syria Not Yet Ready for Refugees

After visiting Syria in January 2025 — including Aleppo and Damascus — UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi stated:

“They face overwhelming difficulties: destroyed and damaged homes, shattered infrastructure and widespread poverty.”

Grandi warned:

• Basic rights and protections for returnees are not guaranteed

• Conditions remain unfit for mass returns

He called for:

• Full restoration of housing and essential services

• Major investments in education and healthcare

• A serious reconsideration of how sanctions affect recovery efforts

🧐 What Humanitarian Efforts Are Urgently Needed?

To make return possible, the international community must pivot from simply managing displacement to actively supporting restoration and reintegration.

Needed Support Includes:

• Massive reconstruction of homes, schools, hospitals, and roads

• Psychosocial care and trauma healing programs

• Legal aid and civil registry assistance

• Vocational training and job programs for youth and adults

• Community reconciliation and support for civil society

• Empowerment programs for women and orphans

   

🤝 How You Can Help — Support Syria’s Returnees

The challenges are vast, but your support can help rebuild homes, reopen schools, and restore dignity. Mozaic has launched two urgent campaigns to assist Syrians in their journey home:

🧱 1. Rebuild Syria – Shelter & Hope

This campaign focuses on repairing destroyed homes, restoring utilities, and supporting families rebuilding in Syria.
🔗 https://mozaic.kindful.com/?campaign=1365122

🧂 2. Empower Syria’s Youth & Orphans

This fund provides food, education, and psychosocial care for orphans and families in need.
🔗 https://mozaic.kindful.com/?campaign=1365826

🙌 Whether you give once or monthly, every dollar matters. Together, we can make “going home” a real option — not a broken dream.

🚊 A New Chapter Worth Writing

On World Refugee Day, we don’t just commemorate the journey of displacement — we ask:

“What will we do when refugees want to go home?”

Rebuilding Syria after dictatorship will require more than political change. It will require:

• Rebuilding lives

• Rebuilding homes

• Rebuilding hope

📢 Call to Action: Help Rebuild Home

Now is the time for:

• Governments to shift from containment to commitment

• NGOs to invest in long-term reintegration

• Syrian diaspora and community leaders to mobilize

• Donors and influencers to prioritize rebuilding alongside resettling

Every returnee needs more than a border pass — they need the support to live, heal, and rebuild.

Let World Refugee Day be more than a symbol — let it be a turning point.

🚀 Ready to Take Action?

Support Mozaic’s urgent Syria campaigns today:

🔗 Rebuild Syria – Shelter & Hope
🔗 Support Syria’s Youth & Orphans