Syria has been in the news since the uprising in 2011. At first it was the horrors of a brutal civil war that shocked the world. Five years on, however, the crisis has reached a whole new level. Hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled their war-torn countries in search of peace and a safe environment to live and bring up their families in, away from the unspeakable horrors of war. However, although accepting, Europe has hardly been equipped for the surge in refugees and many have to live in overcrowded camps where everyday necessities are scarce.
To try and improve the situation, bookshop giant Waterstones has teamed up with Oxfam. Their goal is to raise £1 million to aid the refugees. From October 1st, all Waterstones stores will have a selection of paperback books from famous authors, including David Walliams, Hillary Mantel and Jacqueline Wilson and many more! Furthermore, 100% of the profits from the sale of the books will got to the refugees and will provide them with much needed aid.
This really proves that something as small as a book can make a big difference to the lives of many.
You can follow the campaign on Twitter using the hashtag: #BuyBooksForSyria and for more info. Check out Waterstones’ very own blog.
Books will be available on the 1st of October, look out for the ‘Buy Books For Syria’ sticker.
Words by Joe Lewin