Ali’s* story: Syrian refugee in Tripoli

Ali* is a Syrian refugee from Aleppo Governorate who fled the conflict in Syria in 2012-2013, seeking safety in southern Lebanon. After building a life there, marrying and raising a family, conflict forced him to flee once again. Today, Ali* lives in a collective shelter in northern Lebanon with his two wives and seven children after being displaced from Tyre District in southern Lebanon.

For Ali*, displacement has become cyclical. After fleeing Syria, he attempted to return home when conditions appeared to improve, only to find that insecurity, economic hardship and the lack of opportunities made rebuilding his life impossible. He returned to southern Lebanon, where conflict once again uprooted his family. In just over a decade, repeated crises have forced him and his children to start over again and again. 

"I don't want anything more than a dignified life for my children." said Ali*.

For more than a decade, displacement has shaped every stage of Ali’s* life. After briefly returning to Syria, he found that insecurity, economic hardship and the lack of opportunities made it impossible to rebuild his family's future there.

"Neither I, nor my children, nor anyone else could adapt there. There was no safety, and economically we couldn't survive. We had no choice but to return to Lebanon" said Ali*.

When conflict escalated again in March 2026, Ali* and his family fled north in search of safety.

"We came here because it is safer than where we were. But now we have nothing." Without an income, the family has exhausted what little savings they had. Rent has accumulated on the home they left behind in southern Lebanon, where all of their belongings remain. "I owe four months' rent – around 1,000 USD. If I return without paying, the landlord will keep everything we own. Our furniture is our life's work."

Although a ceasefire has since been announced, Ali* says returning to southern Lebanon remains deeply uncertain. Ongoing hostilities, insecurity and the continued occupation of parts of southern Lebanon mean that many displaced families are still unable to safely return home. Instead of bringing relief, the ceasefire has left Ali* worrying about what awaits him when he eventually goes back.

The uncertainty surrounding when – and whether – they can safely return weighs heavily on the family. Even once security conditions allow them to go back, Ali* fears accumulated rent, rising housing costs and the possibility of losing everything they left behind.

The Impact of Displacement

For Ali*, the greatest burden is not only financial but also the effect repeated displacement has had on his children. "They were able to attend school for only two months before everything stopped again."

Living conditions inside the shelter have transformed daily family life. Ten family members now share a single room that serves as a bedroom, kitchen, dining space and living area. "At home, every child had space to play. Here we all live in one room. Children cannot live normally like this" said Ali*.

The lack of privacy, routine and education has taken a visible toll on Ali* and his children's mental wellbeing. 

Current Needs

When asked, Ali* identified several urgent priorities for his family, including:

• Safe and affordable housing to enable the family to return without losing their belongings or facing unaffordable rent increases.
• Cash assistance to help repay accumulated debts and meet immediate household needs after months without income.
• Education support so his seven children can return to school and continue learning.
• Healthcare support, as Ali* has postponed a necessary surgery for more than a year because he cannot afford the cost after medical coverage ended.
• Livelihood support to help rebuild financial independence and reduce reliance on humanitarian assistance.

While staying in the collective shelter, the family has received mattresses, blankets, hygiene supplies, canned food, ready-to-eat meals and psychosocial support sessions. However, Ali* says these are not enough to meet the family's longer-term needs. Through the support of the IKEA Foundation, the Danish Refugee Council provided Ali* with four sessions of psychosocial support where he and other Syrian refugees were able to learn about ways of coping with the stress of the conflict and displacement for him and his family, particularly his children.