Syria's Yarmouk Refugee Camp is alive with the sound of music, thanks to this incredible piano man
This place is the Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria, just eight kilometres from the centre of Damascus with an estimated 20,000 registered refugees calling this place home (down from 800,000 before the Syrian conflict).
During the Syrian Civil War, Yarmouk became the scene of intense fighting, with many Palestinians killed during the battle. But that didn’t stop one resident from providing his fellow refugees with solace.
You see, while buildings crumble and streets turn into war zones, one piano has managed to stay intact. And that piano is now giving joy to Yarmouk’s residents.
Beirut reporter Moe Ali Nayel tracked down the pianist – 27-year-old Aeham Ahmad – to learn how he was surviving in Yarmouk.
“At the start of the siege in the camp, I decided to isolate myself from music and decided to stay neutral to the Syrian conflict”, Aeham says. “I sold falafel for six months, and kept music in my soul. But I couldn’t help it so I took out my piano and fixed it onto my uncle’s vegetable cart and started moving it between depressing neighbourhoods in the camp.
“The camp’s streets were desolate; all the beloved ones who used to fill the street with their noise and joy were gone. I started playing my piano and moving in the streets of Yarmouk to bring back hope. That’s why I roamed the streets because I couldn’t keep the music quiet. I fed my body on falafel but I had to nourish my spirit and so despite hunger and siege I kept playing my piano.
“I started playing the piano when I was five; I studied music in the Arab conservatory from the age of six until I was sixteen. I usually play academic music on my piano but the current circumstances have inspired me to compose music that speaks about the siege and the crisis in a camp besieged for two years and a half”.
While Aeham brought so much joy to his fellow refugees, there was some sad news this past April when Islamic militants burnt his piano to the ground. But if you think that stopped Aeham from playing to the residents of Yarmouk, you’re mistaken!
“My instrument was burned by an individual act from a radical armed militant, but I am ok”, Aeham said. “Now I have a keyboard to play with the children in the house after they stopped me playing music in Yarmouk camp”.
What a resilient human being and an inspiration to everyone.
Source: www.techly.com.au