Never giving up on life
Abdulmalek was a firefighter before the revolution. In 2013, he became one of the founders of the White Helmets. After saving five lives in a single rescue he was hit by a mortar blast and lost his leg.
Unable to work as a White Helmet, Abdulmalek fell into depression. Worried about his health, his teammates scraped together the cash needed for a prosthetic leg. Now Abdulmalek is back behind the wheel of an ambulance in Idlib saving countless more innocent people.
When White Helmet volunteers are wounded, their colleagues in the rest of the civil defence family pull together to do what they can to support them. But it's not enough. Injured volunteers are going untreated and families unsupported because the money isn't there. That's exactly where people around the world can help.
If we all contribute what we can, together we can build a Hero Fund and make sure these brave volunteers and their families are looked after. Whatever happens.
The White Helmets need support from around the world to start a fund to treat critically injured volunteers and help the families of fallen teammates.
Please contribute what you can now - every dollar makes a difference and 100% of the funds collected go directly to the volunteers.
Saving lives under fire
The Syria Civil Defence are volunteer search and rescue workers in the most dangerous place on earth. When the bombs rain down, they rush in. In a place where public services no longer function these unarmed volunteers risk their lives to help anyone in need - regardless of their religion or political views.
The biggest threat to civilians in Syria today is from the air - from barrel bombs dropped by the regime's helicopters and planes. More than 50 bombs and mortars a day land on some neighbourhoods in Syria. Many are rusty barrels filled with nails and explosives, rolled out the back of government helicopters -- bakeries and markets are the most commonly hit targets. The White Helmets have saved countless victims of these attacks but as a consequence their life-saving work is now a target for the regime.
In one week alone, three centres were bombed in three days. As the chemical attacks from the regime increase, the White Helmets are suffering too. As first responders to the scenes of attacks, hundreds have suffered suffocation and respiratory conditions. 141 have paid the ultimate price for their bravery and hundreds more have been injured saving others.
