Comics for Youth Refugees Incorporated Collective

With nearly half of the Syrian refugees being under the age of 12, CYRIC produces Haawiyat — named for the ships that bring supplies overseas for refugees — to return to these children something, even as small as a physical comic book, in the wake of all that has been lost or left behind.

In conjunction with mental health experts and on-site experts, the content of Haawiyat consists of timeless Syrian folklore adapted into comics form and cultivated for its potential healing content. These tales, in standard Arabic for readers ages 6-12 or with supervision, are intended to deliver some measure of solace or narrative stability in their current situations.

Moreover, the free item itself is meant to restore some small sense of value or control to their chaotic lives; whether it operates as a form of escapism, a source of inspiration, or an investment in their mental lives, Haawiyat redirects Global West’s concerns back to one of the most vulnerable populations of the ongoing conflict.