DAMASCUS, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- In the former rebel stronghold of Eastern Ghouta, on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus, residents are busy renovating schools damaged by war in preparation for the new academic year, which is set to begin on September 8.
After the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in March 2011, Eastern Ghouta became a key rebel bastion and suffered massive devastation until the Syrian army took back control of it in 2018. Local schools were among the hardest hit by the violence.
"In Eastern Ghouta, there were 157 schools before the crisis, but now 38 of them are still out of service," said Rawa Ghabra, supervisor of the Ghouta Educational Complex.
"We will bring four newly-rehabilitated schools back into service for the new school year," she told reporters, adding that "the schools have either been restored by the local community or with the help of international organizations."
"The local community ... has been a partner of the Ministry of Education to rebuild these schools for the sake of our children," Director of Education for Rural Damascus Abdul-Halim Youssef said.
In the city of Arbeen, where 18 schools were utterly destroyed, the local community's contributions have been deemed essential.
"The situation was tragic after the liberation of the city in 2018. The local community stepped in with the help of the city council to rehabilitate the schools," said Rateb Shahror, chairman of the Arbeen City Council.
"Since 2018, 14 schools have been restored in Arbeen, mostly with the help of the local community," the official said. "The city has suffered extensive damage to its infrastructure, homes, and streets, but the people here have taken it upon themselves to rebuild."
The repair work has not been without challenges. Sanctions from the West and limited resources have delayed some projects.
Emad al-Jamal, an engineer overseeing the rehabilitation of the Women's Applied Arts School in Arbeen, stressed the urgency of the task.
While some essential parts of the school will be ready by the first day of the new school year, more damaged parts will take more time to restore, al-Jamal said, adding, "We now focus on parts that could make the school operational soon."
The effort to rebuild schools and provide children with access to education without delay embodies the local community's wish to heal from trauma and have a brighter future.
Um-Bilal, a 50-year-old woman, told Xinhua that seeing people work hand in hand to rebuild the neighborhoods has sparked hope that after long years of crisis, there is finally a glimmer of light ahead.
"A few years back, the future was a bleak image to me, but now ... my pessimism was proven wrong by the solidarity of our community and its determination to create a better future for our kids," she said. ■