For one Surrey woman, the prospect of being caught in "explosions, airstrikes and gunfire" have become part of her daily reality. Working as an aid worker, she provides life-saving support to people in "war-torn" Syria with the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
Lucia Gobbi, a 34-year-old from Walton-on-Thames is at the 'forefront' of UK humanitarian aid in Syria, a country where approximately 16 million people are currently in need of urgent humanitarian assistance as the region's conflicts rage on.
"The situation on the ground is heart-breaking. Everywhere you go, people are just desperate for support. The level of destruction from civil war is horrendous." Lucia said.
"Travelling from Damascus to Homs, there is a certain point where you reach Eastern Ghouta and just everything has been flattened."
War and conflict in Syria has been near-continuous since the country was plunged into civil war in 2011. Suffering and loss for the people of the region has not ceased since the war began nearly 15 years ago, but has arguably become further heightened in recent months following the fall of dictator Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in December 2024.
Without an official centralised government, it has become even harder for Syrians to access what little essential services which were available before. Lucia has said that supporting these essential services has become a focus of her work since she returned to Syria after Al-Assad’s regime fell.
"To address this situation, one of our focus areas is supporting pregnant and breast-feeding women and girls, and children under two who are most at risk of malnutrition."
Lucia added: "The health clinics we work with, are often over-run with screaming, crying, malnourished children. Everyday involves making really heart-breaking decisions, as one of the tests to see if they are eligible for WFP assistance is measuring the arm circumference of the children. If they are a fraction of a millimetre out then we cannot help, although that does not mean they are not in need."
Walton-born Lucia has said that she felt "everything's changed" in Syria since the Al-Assad government fell at the end of last year.
"I was home for Christmas when the regime fell on December 8, and when I came back and the flag had changed. It’s been fascinating to see how Syrians have changed. It’s like a weight has been lifted from them. Nobody would really speak before because everyone was terrified of the regime." Lucia explained.
"So many Syrians have lost loved ones either from the regime, the conflict, or the earthquake. The country suddenly feels more crowded with lots of chatter. Families are being reunited with lots of exiled Syrians returning home.
"The international airport is open again and after a decade we are seeing products like Pringles that had vanished. But there is so much more work to do."
Lucia has worked as a WFP Programme Policy Officer in Syria since 2021 and admits her family worry about her working there due to ongoing conflicts in the country. But added that she feel good she is "carrying on the family tradition" from her father, an Italian Chef, of feeding people.
"I'm an only child from a British-Italian family, so they’d much rather I came home. They often say, ‘Have you not had enough yet? Although they worry and wish I was home, my family are incredibly proud of what I do, while wishing it wasn’t me that had to do it."
And, it is not hard to see why Lucia's family would be worried about her safety, as during her time in Syria has been a stones throw away from airstrikes, but, her "scariest moment" was not violence-related according to Lucia; but was waking up during the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes.
"I was woken up about four in the morning and the whole building shook for around eight seconds. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening.
"My immediate thought was that it was some sort of air attack but there was no sound. When I looked out the window, I could see nothing. It was only when I went on WhatsApp, I discovered what had happened."
Last month, Middle East Minister for the UK, Hamish Falconer announced the country's pledge of up to £160 million in aid to help stabilise Syria following the fall of the Assad family regime, which had been in place for 53 years.
Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer said: “A stable Syria is vital for ensuring our security at home and abroad, which is critical for delivering our Plan for Change. The UK’s pledge of up to £160m underlines our commitment to helping Syrians stabilise and rebuild their country, as well as provide lifesaving aid for Syrians hosted generously in partner countries.
“This is a critical moment for Syria. The violence in coastal areas earlier this month was horrific. The interim authorities must demonstrate their intent to promote stability, protect minorities and govern in the interests of all Syrians.
“We welcome the ceasefire agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the interim authorities as an important step in this direction.”
