Karen Leigh is the managing editor of News Deeply. https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/contributor/alia-ahmad-and-karen-leigh/rss en Government & Pro-Government Forces Mon, 30 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0000 Alia Ahmad and Karen Leigh https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/06/30/on-the-streets-of-damascus-child-beggars-become-a-familiar-sight https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/06/30/on-the-streets-of-damascus-child-beggars-become-a-familiar-sight Alaa begs on a downtown bridge, Rania makes $1.50 on an average day from passersby and Mohammed asks for change alongside his handicapped father. In each case, they are responsible for a family’s financial survival. Education Human Rights Mon, 05 May 2014 00:00:00 +0000 Alia Ahmad and Karen Leigh https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/05/05/truant-students-skip-school-and-face-child-labor-mistreatment https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/05/05/truant-students-skip-school-and-face-child-labor-mistreatment Syrian children are leaving school for the workforce in greater numbers. The government says there has been a 30 percent drop in attendance countrywide since the start of the war.