Meet Hazar Mansour, her husband Hussam Alhallak, and their three kids: Layan, 12, Mohammad, 9, and Danyal, 16 months. They fled violence Syria in 2015, and after two years in Turkey, they became one of three Syrian families to make Rutland, Vt. their home.
Vermont Public Radio’s Nina Keck initially spoke with the family in the winter of 2017, when they arrived in the midst of a community debate over whether the city should welcome 100 mostly Syrian refugees to boost local workforce numbers. This past summer, Nina checked back in on the family, and I had the great fortune to help by taking photos for the story.
Hazar, Hussam and all their kids were so generous with their time, their home and the details of their lives. Two years into living in Rutland, Hazar called it a “magical place” for her family.
Hazar Mansour watches as her kids Layan, 12, center, Mohammad, 9, left, and Danyal, 16 months, right, play in their Rutland apartment. It's been two and a half years since the family, including Hazar's husband, Hussam (not pictured), arrived in Vermont.
Hussam, Hazar, and their children Layan, left, Mohammad, center, and Danyal, right, were one of three Syrian families to move to Rutland before the Trump administration capped refugee resettlement.
Hussam Alhallak shares dinner with his and Hazar Mansour's 16-month-old son, Danyal.
Hazar Mansour walks with her three children through their Rutland neighborhood, which she says is much quieter than their home city of Damascus, Syria.
Mohammad, 9, looks at the globe in his family's living room. One of his favorite subjects in school is geography.
Hussam Alhallak has worked as an accountant at Casella's West Rutland office since February.
Layan, 12, plays with her 16-month-old brother Danyal, who horses around with his siblings when they arrive home from school. Danyal loves it when his family sings the "Baby Shark" song to him, and he sings it back.
Hazar Mansour drives her red mini-van on her way to pick up her son, Mohammad, from school.
Hussam and Hazar said they've only been treated well since arriving in Rutland in January 2017.
Hazar Mansour takes a look at what will be the roof of her family's new home, which they are purchasing with the help of Habitat For Humanity.
Mohammad walks toward his family's new home in Rutland, where they expect to move in the spring.