X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Why you need to see this heartbreaking photo

5 Sep, 2015
Why you need to see this heartbreaking  photo

Sometime a picture is all it takes. Let's hope that the heartbreaking photo of little Aylan Kurdi's absolutely unnecessary and tragic death will finally open up the world's eyes to the crisis in Syria.

drowned syrian boy

Photo International Business Times

At first glance, this photo shows a toddler in sweet slumber. But there is nothing sweet about the truth.

2-year-old Aylan Kurdi’s body was found washed up ashore in a beach near Bodrum, Turkey by local coastguards. He and his family—father Abdullah, mother Rihan, and 5-year-old brother Galip—were part of a refugee group who fled from Syria, where Islamic State (IS) group militants fighting government forces are advancing.

The Kurdis, together with 23 other hopeful migrants, set off for the Greek Island of Kos for a chance at a better life. Instead, their only voyage to hope turned into heartbreak. In the early morning of Wednesday, the two boats they were on sank after being hit by waves.

drowned syrian boy

Aylan Kurdi with older brother Galip. Both boys drowned on their way to the Greek Island of Kos. Photo Mirror

Aylan, his mother, and brother, along with 12 others (five of whom were children) drowned in the waters between Turkey and Greece. Abdullah may have survived the tragedy—but his ordeal is far from over. He tells CNN, “Everything I was dreaming of is gone. I want to bury my children and sit beside them until I die.” His despair adds more weight to an already soul-crushing, unnecessary, and avoidable event.

There is something that can be done to save other children who, like Aylan and his brother Galip, were robbed of their childhood because they were caught between a war. International organization Save The Children offers people from around the world an opportunity to have an active role in coming to the aid of children in need.

Republished with permission from: theAsianparent Philippines.

Partner Stories
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

theAsianparent

  • Home
  • /
  • News
  • /
  • Why you need to see this heartbreaking photo
Share:
  • Mum pays tribute to her 11 miscarriages in a heartbreaking photo series

    Mum pays tribute to her 11 miscarriages in a heartbreaking photo series

  • 6-year-old writes touching letter to Obama; offers home to a refugee boy

    6-year-old writes touching letter to Obama; offers home to a refugee boy

  • Korean Actor Couple Jin Tae-hyun and Park Si-eun Suffer Third Miscarriage, 20 Days Before Baby Was Due

    Korean Actor Couple Jin Tae-hyun and Park Si-eun Suffer Third Miscarriage, 20 Days Before Baby Was Due

  • 'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

    'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

  • Mum pays tribute to her 11 miscarriages in a heartbreaking photo series

    Mum pays tribute to her 11 miscarriages in a heartbreaking photo series

  • 6-year-old writes touching letter to Obama; offers home to a refugee boy

    6-year-old writes touching letter to Obama; offers home to a refugee boy

  • Korean Actor Couple Jin Tae-hyun and Park Si-eun Suffer Third Miscarriage, 20 Days Before Baby Was Due

    Korean Actor Couple Jin Tae-hyun and Park Si-eun Suffer Third Miscarriage, 20 Days Before Baby Was Due

  • 'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

    'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.