Published TUESDAY October 10, 2023: 'Blinded By War' by ZUMA Partner agency dpa photo-journalist Anas Apkharboutli: A project to help the visually impaired in Syria's war-devastated north brings hope and a better life for the blind. Nour, which means light in Arabic, is a unique charity project that houses people with severe visual impairments along with their families. Some 3,000 blind people live in north-west Syria, with some losing their sight due to war injuries while others were born blind, a survey in Idlib shows, he says. The civil war that has been raging since 2011 has claimed more than 350,000 lives so far. Around 13 million people have been displaced within Syria or have fled to other countries. Although Syria's ruler Bashar al-Assad now controls around two-thirds of the country again, Idlib remains the last stronghold of opposition rebel groups. Welcome to 'Blinded By War'
© zReportage.com Issue #909 Story of the Week: Published TUESDAY October 10, 2023: 'Blinded By War' by ZUMA Partner agency dpa photo-journalist Anas Apkharboutli: A project to help the visually impaired in Syria's war-devastated north brings hope and a better life for the blind. Nour, which means light in Arabic, is a unique charity project that houses people with severe visual impairments along with their families. Some 3,000 blind people live in north-west Syria, with some losing their sight due to war injuries while others were born blind, a survey in Idlib shows, he says. The civil war that has been raging since 2011 has claimed more than 350,000 lives so far. Around 13 million people have been displaced within Syria or have fled to other countries. Although Syria's ruler Bashar al-Assad now controls around two-thirds of the country again, Idlib remains the last stronghold of opposition rebel groups. Welcome to 'Blinded By War'

Sunset over the Al Kamouneh camp, where displaced people in Idlib governorate are housed. The Nour camp, a ''village for the blind'' in north-west Syria, provides a glimmer of hope and happiness for people who are visually impaired.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

YAZAN QASAM, 10, smiles at his father before leaving the house. Qasam, a blind 10-year-old boy displaced from Zawiya Mountain, in Syria's governorate of Idlib, is among the children whose life has changed since moving to the village. Yazan used to live in a tent in one of Idlib's refugee camps in miserable conditions says ''I suffered a lot, but my life has changed now. Living in this camp is perfect for blind people.''
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

A blind father walks with his son through the village of Nour. Currently, there are about 100 families living in Nour village, each of which has at least one person who is visually impaired or blind.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

Visually impaired children learn to read braille text in the school, which is currently a tent classroom. People have been living in the camp since 2022 and it has now some 103 houses out of a total of 182 spaces, with the remainder being tents.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

AREJ AHMED AL MUGHTAR, a blind 7 year old, with her toy, which she recognizes only by touch due to her vision impairment. Arej lives with her family in the village of Nour.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

A blind man feels his way along a wall lined with special tiles on his way home. Each house in the village of Nour has its own unique texture tiles and feel so the blind residents can find their way home safely.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

Visually impaired children sit together in the village of Nour. Currently, about 100 families live in the village of Nour, from each of which at least one person is visually impaired or blind.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

YAZAN QASAM, 10 years old, sits in his house in the village of Nour. Yazan used to live in a tent in one of Idlib's refugee camps in miserable conditions, ''Living in a tent is already hard. But how is it if you are blind? ''I suffered a lot, but my life has changed now. Living in this camp is perfect for blind people''.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

Ahmed Hamid 29, holds a glass eye that was inserted in place of his left eye. He lost his sight completely due to a missile attack by the Syrian regime.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

Blind men play a special game for the blind in the village of Nour. The camp, a ''village for the blind'' in north-west Syria, provides a glimmer of hope and happiness for people vision impairment.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

10-year-old Syrian child RUQAYA AHMED AL MUGHTAR walks through a hallway paved with a special textured tile for the blind to help them move around the village of Nour. Some 3,000 blind people live in north-west Syria, with some losing their sight due to war injuries while others were born blind, a survey in Idlib shows.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

Children watch as a man who lost his sight in an accident tries to repair his neighbor's car in the village of Nour.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press

AHMED HAMID, who was displaced from Hama governorate and completely lost his eyesight as a result of an injury from a missile attack by the Syrian regime. He lives with his wife in the village of Nour.
© Anas Alkharboutli/dpa via ZUMA Press