Illustration of solider looking out over DeirEzzor river in Syria

A Syrian

A Syrian

Journey

Journey

A story of survival & revolution

Journey So Far

I took to the streets, was chasing death and life, teasing both, poking them like a friend. I did not want to die, but I did not care if it happened.

DeirEzzor's Ghassan Abboud Street lies in ruin

DeirEzzor's Ghassan Abboud Street

June, 2013

The story

Since the beginning of the uprising in 2011, the Syrian government has killed and arrested hundreds of thousands of Syrians. Millions more have been forcefully displaced inside Syria, and 6.5millions became refugees outside of it. My story is only one amongst millions of others. The story of detention, of losing home, friends, and education opportunities, the story of refuge, and the story of a life of constant tragedy, of continuous adversity, of death, displacement, and destruction.

Why a website?

Because other means of expression are no longer able to absorb the enormous amount of accumulated feelings and traumas because history has begun to distort and because I am tired, my mind and my body ache from the heavy burden of carrying these memories. I wanted to give them a new home, to live on the internet in a new way, and to be my message and my personal history of everything I lived and suffered during the revolutio

Illustration showing Karam's journey through Syria to Turkey

About Karam

because history has begun to distort and because I am tired, my mind and my body ache from the heavy burden of carrying these memories. I wanted to give them a new home, to live on the internet in a new way

Karam in the streets of DeirEzzor in 2013

Karam in the streets of DeirEzzor in 2013, before the last detention.

July, 2013

Who am I

I call myself Zendetta, a name inspired by DeirEzzor, my homeland, and by V for Vendetta, the 1982 dystopian political action novel and its namesake freedom fighter, V, whose mask I wore when filming protests. I am a human rights activist, a policy advocate, a dreamer with hopes of freedom, democracy, and decentralization of power, and most importantly, a free-spirited artist. My camera was my brush, Syria is my canvas, and the revolution has become my art. When the Syrian revolution began over 10 years ago, I was one of hundreds of thousands of peaceful activists that took to the streets demanding that our government treat us with dignity and respect. My government responded with brute force to quell the peaceful protests. They used, and continue to use, every means at their disposal to destroy our minds, souls, and bodies. But, their brutality only gave us more reason to continue fighting.

What is my vision?

Syria must be free from dictatorship and all political detainees must be released. My hope is that this website can serve to educate and inspire others to share in this vision. Through my activism and art, I aspire to encourage others to tell their story and help create a collective for activists, artists, and innovators to push the digital boundaries of humanitarian advocacy.

Illustration of Karam studying at his desk in Syria

Education

M.P.P in Global Affairs

Yale University

Jan 2022 - Present

Blockchain and Decentralised Finance Focus

BA in Economics, Politics and Social

Bard College Berlin

Aug 2017 - May 2020

Bachelors of Science in Petroleum Engineering

Alfurat University

Sep 2009 - Jul 2013 (DNF due to detention)

Blockchain and Decentralised Finance

CEO & Founder

Ze.Fi

Sep 2019 - Present

Blockchain and Decentralized Finance

International Development and Research

Activity Manager

DT Institute

Jan 2019 - Oct 2020

Grants Development and Management

Grants Development Manager

DT Global

Sep 2017 – Jan 2019

Research Analyst

Dexis Consulting, Voices of Syria Program, Adam Smith International

May 2015 - Sep 2018

Worked in research, analysis, monitoring and evaluation with several companies

Credit

A true story from Syria, lived and told by Karam Alhamad.

Karam Alhamad

Story, Imagery & Narration

Hareth Mhedi

Music Composition

Andrew Hillstead

Creative Director

Alex Bannwarth

Narrative UX Design, Illustration, Animation

Laura Campbell

UI & Website Design

Kunyang Ji

UX, UI & Website Design

Laird Kruger

Site Development, Motion, Sound

View Gallery

Chapters

Syria

Deir Ezzor

Pre 2010

Growing Up In Deir Ezzor

Arab Spring

Middle East & N.Africa

2010 - 2011

Protests For Freedom

Imprisonment

Syria

2012

Arbitrary Detention

Release

Syria

2012

Restoration Of Dignity

Revolution

Syria

2012 - 2013

Documenting Life & Death

Palestine Branch

Damascus

2014

Palestine Branch

Leaving Jail

Damascus

2014

Release from Palestine Branch

Seeking Refuge

Syria to Turkey

2014

Fleeing Syria

Refugee

Turkey & USA

2014 - 2017

Life as a Refugee

Starting Again

Berlin

2017 - Present

A fresh start

Closes on 28/05/2022

Zendetta

Grant

To support 100 Syrian applicants for universities worldwide, by paying for their university applications, foreign language tests or consultancy and assistance in the application cover letters and CVs.