Reem al-Kari and her cousin Lama are searching through dozens of photos of children spread out on a desk. Lama thinks she spots one with a likeness to Karim, Reem's missing son.
Karim was two-and-a-half when he and his father disappeared in 2013 during Syria's civil war as they ran an errand. He is one of more than 3,700 children still missing since the fall of the Assad dictatorship.
Investigative reports have revealed that SOS Children's Villages International played a significant role in the systematic abduction of children by the Assad regime. Despite being a large global charity, it has been accused of returning children to oppressive conditions under the regime without proper safeguards.
According to investigations, SOS brought in children without proper background checks to boost funding, while many were recorded as orphans or had their identities changed to complicate tracing them.
As the Assad regime crumbled, new access to information has allowed journalists and activists to compile a database of over 323 children hidden by various orphanages, with SOS implicated heavily in this scandal.
Families like Reem's are left in limbo, navigating a maze of bureaucracy and misinformation as they seek to reunite with their lost children — a process hindered by charity practices and state secrecy.
With allegations mounting against the organization and its leadership, the need for transparency and accountability has never been more critical.
As the world watches, the voices of those still searching for their loved ones amid this tragedy continue to resonate, demanding answers and justice.
