WAER E-mail Blasts: Syria Special Programming

1. WAER student reporter, Anjali Alwis, brings us a 6-part series called "Six Degrees of Separation," airing each Thursday morning during Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

Alwis spent two weeks in a Syrian refugee camp in Thessaloniki, Greece as part of a medical mission with SAMS, the Syrian American Medical Society. She witnessed first-hand how the men, women and children have been living after fleeing war and persecution, and interviewed camp residents, volunteers and doctors.

Each segment tells tales of the people and issues found in the refugee camp, and the arduous and dangerous journeys the refugees have taken in search for safety. The stories of those affected, and those trying to help, are told largely in their own words, with creative production using poetry and music.

WAER.org will also feature photos and audio segments for on-demand listening. We hope you will join us for this special programming event beginning Thursday, February 2nd.

2. Join us for part two of Six Degrees of Separation as WAER's Anjali Alwis follows Syrian refugee Abdulazez as he flees his home to avoid war. He shares his story when, as a teenager moving often to dodge violence, facing racism in host countries such as Turkey became the new reality. Abdulazez was able to learn English and gain photography skills despite the unstable and fragile life as a refugee. Part two airs Thursday morning during Morning Edition and repeats during All Things Considered in the afternoon.

3. Join us for part three of Six Degrees of Separation: The Boat, as WAER's Anjali Alwis continues the stories she learned while working with the Syrian American Medical Society.

What's it like for a 12-year-old girl who got smuggled out of Syria with her family, left in Turkey, with her father traveling on to Europe? Her journey went over barbed wire, a cliff, and a raft to refugee camps in Greece. Or a woman counting on smugglers to escape, only to find out that closed borders meant an opportunity missed. This latest episode airs Thursday on Morning Edition and All Things Considered.