ANKARA 

A 23-year-old Syrian man living in Turkey hopes to lead a normal life after getting surgery for his burn wounds. 

Abdurrezzak Ridus’ face and hand were burned in a fire that broke out in his home when he was a baby and he has been shunned by society ever since.

His education lasted only one day when he was scolded by his teacher for scaring other children on his first day at primary school. Since then, the young man from Idlib thinks people are afraid and disgusted of him.

Ridus spends nearly all of his time at home and can only go out on cloudy days or in the evening.

23-year-old Syrian man Abdurrezzak Ridus

After the war broke out in Syria in March 2011, he had to leave his home in 2018 and took refuge in Turkey in 2019 with the hope of receiving treatment.

He has been suffering for the past 22 years due to the deformity of his eyes, as he cannot close them and suffers from dry eyes and vision loss.

He has been trying to make a living with the help of philanthropists and the money he earns from the plastic he collects from the garbage in Turkey's capital Ankara.

The only dream of Ridus, whose job applications were turned down, is to get rid of his wounds and spend the rest of his life without being shunned.

The young man has been dreaming of undergoing surgery and solving his health problems.

Stating that he received psychological support from the Turkish Red Crescent, he said he takes antidepressant drugs to not think too much.

Comparing the way the society in Syria and Turkey looked at him, Ridus said people in Turkey were generally sophisticated and cultured and felt his pain when they saw him.

He said he earns about 10 liras (about one dollar) per day collecting plastic from the garbage.