Let's help Sheyma, a Syrian refugee

Meet Sheyma, a 9-year-old Syrian girl who was shot in the face by a sniper while fleeing Aleppo.


Two years ago, Sheyma, her older brother, Abdo and their mother were leaving their village to move to a safer area on the outskirts of Aleppo. Traveling by bus on the infamous Al Castello Road, known as “dead man’s road,” the family had to take their chances for safety.

Mid-way down the road, a sniper targeted and opened fire inside the bus. The impact was so strong it shattered all of the windows. Sheyma’s mother turned around to see if her children were safe. Sheyma, who was 7 at the time, reached out her arms and screamed to find her mother. Her face and body were dripping with blood. As Sheyma’s mother grabbed her, she looked back to find 9-year-old Abdo on the floor. He had been shot and killed instantly.

Her mother rushed Sheyma to a hospital in Kilis, Turkey. Sheyma lost her right eye and was left with a crater above her brow from the attack. She stayed in the hospital for four months.

While in the hospital, despite losing her eye and her only brother, Sheyma was an inspiration and joy to the other patients, nurses and doctors. They called her a miracle. In Sheyma’s hospital room, a 27-year-old Syrian man, Fouad, was in the bed next to her. Fouad had been visiting Aleppo, Syria from Turkey during his spring break to feed and help the poor. He was sleeping in a mosque when the bombing started. The mosque was bombed, and Fouad lost both of his legs. The young man was miserable. He cried every day. But when Sheyma became his new roommate, he would hear her laughter over his cries. He couldn’t believe that a 7-year-old girl could be so resilient, funny, and positive after experiencing such trauma, so he began to talk to her. Sheyma and Fouad are now best friends, and they refer to each other as brother and sister. Fouad promised Sheyma that he was going to try his best to find her the care she needed.


Unfortunately, the resources required for her long-term treatment were not available to her in Turkey. In the two years since the incident, Sheyma has lost vision in her left eye. She sustains severe damage to her skull and face and still has shrapnel scarred into her skin. Her family has been living as refugees in Gazientep, Turkey. Sheyma has not been able to go to school; her dream is to get an education.

After far too long a wait, Sheyma is finally going to receive the care she needs to live an enriching life through The Grace Children’s Foundation (TGCF), a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization based in New York. Millions of children globally are suffering because they have little or no access to vital healthcare resources or continuous care; TGCF is taking on the ambitious mission of connecting these children to people and organizations ready to help them.


While Sheyma will receive top-tier pro bono medical care at renowned institutions in New York City, she needs support as she adapts to life without sight and navigates the new culture and language around her. Along with her basic living expenses, there are also significant transportation costs, host family stipend and special education needs. Our goal is to raise funds to cover non-medical expenses for Sheyma and other children like her.


Let’s help to provide Sheyma with a loving environment while she receives her care so that she can return to Turkey to go to school and live an impactful life.