The
Cat Man of Aleppo
by Irene Latham (j Biography Aljaleel)
by Irene Latham (j Biography Aljaleel)
Several years back I happened upon
a story about a man in Syria who drove an ambulance in the war-torn city of
Aleppo. What fascinated me was in the midst of all the rubble and destruction
of the city, this man was shown holding a cat. On further investigation, I
learned that Alaa, the ambulance driver, had stayed behind as his family and
friends left the city, and spent his free time caring for the cats of Aleppo.
He would spend his own money to buy food for the strays left when other families
had to flee. Hungry himself, he couldn’t bear to see the neglected cats. About
the same time that I was reading about him, a young Italian woman who spoke
Arabic, also learned about Alaa and his cats. She also cares for cats and those
left behind. She used her Arabic skills to contact Alaa and started an
organization that connected him to people around the world who also care about
small hungry critters. It started as small Facebook group and quickly grew.
Donations started pouring in from around the world. Alaa was able to use these
funds to establish a sanctuary for the cats, and when his ambulance was bombed,
people rallied to replace it. Alaa not only cared about the cats though. He
soon was using the donations to provide small bits of happiness for the
children who were still living in Aleppo. He used the money to build a
playground and to share gifts of toys and food. Unfortunately the war continued
and Alaa’s sanctuary was bombed and eventually he had to flee, but in time, he
was able to start again in the countryside where he built a new sanctuary and
enlisted the services of a veterinarian to help him with his flock of cats and
other animals.
Today, as I was walking through the
children’s books, a new book, The Cat Man of Aleppo, caught my eye. It’s a
beautiful book that tells the story of Alaa and his love for all creatures. The
illustrations are beautiful. The artist Yuko Shimizu gathered images from news
stories, books, and films; through her watercolors they coalesce into images
depicting the wonder of love, at the same time not shying away from the bleak
background of a bombed city.
In the harsh reality of a besieged
Aleppo, the heart of Alaa shines like a beacon, to demonstrate how together we
can make the world a better place.
Learn more about the Cat Man’s
sanctuary at www.ernestosanctuary.org
A BBC article: https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-47473772
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheAleppoCatMen/
[
official Irene
Latham web site ]
Recommended
by Carrie K.
Bennett Martin Public Library – Public Service
Bennett Martin Public Library – Public Service
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