SYRIA – Right in the middle of a city devastated by war, is a place just for animals and also children!
Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, who is a mere electrician and ambulance driver, runs a cat sanctuary in Aleppo where he feeds and takes care of more than a hundred cats, many of which were left behind when their owners fled Syria’s brutal and violent civil war.
Back in September, in an interview with the BBC, Mohammad swore that he’d stay behind and protect his furry army “no matter what.”
After Aljaleel’s bravery and compassion first made international headlines all the way back in 2014, when an Italian woman named Alessandra Abidin reached out to him via Facebook to offer some help to him.
As a team, the two set up a Facebook group, Il gattaro d’Aleppo — “the cat man of Aleppo” — where he could share photos and news with his supporters all around the world.
Aljaleel posts brand new photos almost every single day!
The pair also went ahead and set up a mechanism for people around the world to donate to Aljaleel.
With all of these funds he has received, he managed to build not only a proper shelter for the cats but also a playground nearby for local children.
This man is indeed a saint.
People who wish to donate simply join the Facebook group and message Abidin privately, she explained to HuffPost.
Local organizations bring children there in hopes of distracting them from the chaos of attacks and airstrikes, Syria Direct reported in August.
Yet other donations go to provide food for the kitties as well as local people.
“There is a firm bond between humanitarianism and caring for animals,” Aljaleel said to Syria Direct. “Between rescuing an injured person who might die and an animal who has been injured and needs help.”
Photos by Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel
