Help the Syrian children!

"My name is Rima and I am 17 years old. When my mother enrolled me in the music center, I saw many different instruments, but the piano was my first choice. I started learning it little by little and, over time, I felt that music had become part of me."

This is Rima's voice, clear and crystalline in the happiness of having discovered a new language that allows her to express a deep part of herself. Rima lives in Damascus and has Down syndrome: her mother deeply believes in Rima's ability to learn and grow, and is always by her side in this quest.

"Music gives comfort and allows you to express yourself, so I wanted Rima to learn this art" she explains. "When I discovered the Franciscan Music Centre run by Pro Terra Sancta and the advantages it offered – such as a symbolic inscription and the evident progress in the children who attended it – I knew it would be the right step for her."

"I won't hide the fact that at first I was afraid. I was afraid that Rima might be rejected or that people would think she couldn't learn like others. But I was surprised by the great welcome and availability of the entire team." 

"I express my deepest gratitude to all those who have contributed to the Musical Centre with their commitment and dedication". The mother is moved to see her daughter happy, while mastering a language that will help her build sensitivity and openness to the world, a precious gift that is more necessary than ever.

"Her path in music was not just a technical exercise," explain the teachers, "but a story of challenge and creativity. It is the story of a girl who did not let anything stop her and a mother who always believed in her." Thanks to Pro terra Sancta's Franciscan Care Centre, Rima's dreams to be able to fully express herself became true.