A nine-year-old Syrian girl who was born at the outbreak of civil war in her country and became a refugee as an infant has arrived in Britain, completing a journey that for many has proven nearly impossible.
Rouaa arrived in the world as fighting began in 2011, but was forced to flee from Damascus with her family after a chemical weapons attack two years later. The family eventually made it to a refugee camp in Lebanon, where Rouaa has spent most of her childhood.
But the BBC, which has been following Rouaa’s story since she left her home, on Monday reported that the family had arrived in Britain, bringing to an end a seven-year journey to escape conflict in Syria.
Rouaa’s father told the BBC he thought his daughter would be happy in Britain and was extremely grateful to be there.
“She told me that in the future she wants to be someone who does good things for this country which gave us a home and opened its heart to us,” he said.
Her family is among more than 5.6 million people who have fled Syria since 2011. More than a million Syrian refugees are in Lebanon, around 70 per cent of whom live below the poverty line, according to the United Nations’ refugee agency, UNHCR.
Syria’s war created a migration crisis, with some of those who fled the country trying to reach safety in Europe. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians who attempted the often-perilous journey to the European Union eventually applied for asylum in its member countries. The vast majority of Syria’s refugees continue to live in camps in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.
In March 2019, the European Commission declared the migrant crisis to be over. However, a recent surge in violence in Syria’s north-western Idlib province prompted fears of a return to its peak in 2015 when more than a million refugees and migrants crossed into Europe.
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
On sale: now
If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The BIO
Favourite piece of music: Verdi’s Requiem. It’s awe-inspiring.
Biggest inspiration: My father, as I grew up in a house where music was constantly played on a wind-up gramophone. I had amazing music teachers in primary and secondary school who inspired me to take my music further. They encouraged me to take up music as a profession and I follow in their footsteps, encouraging others to do the same.
Favourite book: Ian McEwan’s Atonement – the ending alone knocked me for six.
Favourite holiday destination: Italy - music and opera is so much part of the life there. I love it.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile
Company name: Marefa Digital
Based: Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
Number of employees: seven
Sector: e-learning
Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019
Investors: Friends and family
Match info
Wolves 0
Arsenal 2 (Saka 43', Lacazette 85')
Man of the match: Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal)
The Africa Institute 101
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
Our legal advisor
Rasmi Ragy is a senior counsel at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Prosecutor in Egypt with more than 40 years experience across the GCC.
Education: Ain Shams University, Egypt, in 1978.
