How did we understand each other? We both had earbuds with a translator, you can see it in some of the shots during the build. It's why some of the pacing of the conversation is a bit slow! Also it's why Mohammad keeps talking about me in third person 😂
Can we send toys to the kids and building materials to Mohammad? I've talked to the UNHCR rep that we worked with, and getting things there is apparently really complicated and costly for both the sender and Mohammad. I will let you know if that changes. For what it's worth I ended up giving him almost every tool that I brought to Jordan.
This is so beautiful. "It kind of feels like we're two peas in a pod, just planted in very different parts of the world." Thank you both for sharing your joy with us.
Hey Cleo! I discovered you both on the Nuclear Fusion collaboration when Tom Scott mentioned you in his newsletter. So glad I found you both! You're both amazing creators :)
It's like a sports car. On the outside it looks like it hates everything, and would rather not be there. but on this inside it's just really eager to show you what it can do, it just wants to have fun and make people happy.
Simone, ⚘ شكراً لكِ لأنكِ أدخلتي السرور لقلب العم محمد .. نحن فخورون جداً بما يصنعه العم محمد مثل الشعب السوري هو يستحق أن ينال حريته والعودة للديار .. وأن يتم محاسبة الأرهابي بشار الأسد على ما فعله
Simone, you made a stubborn old man cry because you showed you care. In an uncaring world even small acts of kindness such as yours can work wonders. Bless you.
Not just that, because despite everything that happened to him he was inside still child, waiting for another child to come and play with him and share his toys. This video is so beautiful
I love the fact that this didn't sugarcoat or just focus on the fake smiles. They showed the bickering, the differences in their approaches.. and in the end, I was crying . Well done everyone involved! Simone, hope you're okay, I'm sure it's not easy to see something like this without having the ability to completely change it... ❤
I spent the last two weekends building a picnic table with my grandfather. We are both civil engineers, but before that he worked as a carpenter for over 10 years. He taught me old wood joints, so we could build the whole table without using any screws. When Simone said with a smile: "He thinks I'm incompetent, and I think he's a stubborn old man," I had to laugh because that sums up our individual projects very well. After that, the rest of the video naturally reminded me a lot of someone I love very much. It's easy to build a mental wall against the emotional impact of news from other countries when you live in a more stable and safe country like me in Germany, even if you can find the same kinds of beautiful souls everywhere you go. Thanks for the important reminder. (Also sorry, English is not my first language).
As a Syrian daughter of immigrants, seeing one of my favorite TH-camrs post a video that truly encapsulates the kindness of Syrian people is amazing. Thank you Simone 🫶🏻
My grandparents were Palestinian refugees in Syria, it's heartbreaking that now so many Syrians are refugees. Thank you for making a video showcasing the kindness and humanity of these people ,who were so kind to my family when the world turned it's back on Palestine.
I LOVE the captions for the English portion!!!! Now people who got to see this man from their village work on this can enjoy your content! So thoughtful, so wonderful.
As a Syrian refugee myself, with a MUCH better situation that Muhammad is in, and someone who has been in love with Simone and her energy ever since I first stumbled upon her on YT, this makes me feel so many emotions. You two couldn't have come from more different backgrounds, and you probably couldn't have led more different lives, but you had a project together, you learned to work together and compromise for each other's vision, and you ended up creating a connection that felt genuine to me. And I say that having understood every word that was spoken in both languages, and having known you through your videos, and dozens of people like him from back home. Cudos for a beautiful video, Simone, and an amazing, if short-lived, helicopter as well!!
That was beautiful and awkward and lovely. All the kids peeking in the window, and the crazy exploding helicopter covered in glitter, and the kindness in Mohammed’s eyes. Love to him, and to you, Simone.
He's like that father who thinks his old-school analog ways are more enjoyable and she's like that kid who thinks new tech is just easier. Eventually, they always meet in the middle and learn something from each other. But you can see the chemistry between them. Probably one of the most authentic interactions I've seen in a long time.
I normally don't comment on TH-cam videos but this video makes me wanna say so many things. First of all, it's one of the most amazing and magical videos I've seen on TH-cam in a long time, really showcasing that we all - across culture, location and religion - are just human beings and that meetings between people can have a great impact on everyone involved. It's amazing to see how your actions and thoughts are so reflective of your respective cultures but how they melt together perfectly through humour and curiosity. I study Middle Eastern studies and Arabic and I'm going to write my bachelor's project on Muslim men and their ideas of masculinities and responsibilities as a husband and father. For far too long in both academia and the media, the negative image of the Muslim man as violent, cold hearted and agressive has dominated and there is a big gap when it comes to showcasing and documenting the nuances that exists within Muslim men; how they care for their families and children, how they go above and beyond to provide for their families and loved ones often while struggling with displacement, conflict or bad economy. Mohammad is just one of many like him and he is not joking when he says you're now like a daughter to him. This is how big and caring the heart of many Muslim men are and it is clear in this video that everything he does is in devotion to those around him. Thank you for being a part of bringing stories like Mohammad out into the world.
As a middle eastern Muslim I am really glad that you could see beyond the typical media presentation of a muslim family. I am genuinely interested in reading your bachelor's project.
...and thank you for your studies and efforts to break the stereotype of Muslim men. I'm a Muslim father, and I often cringed when I heard or saw the Western depiction of a Muslim man; so far from the example of our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW. Good luck with your project, may Allah bless and guide you, and give you happiness and health. Salam...
May Allah makes it easy for you and put barakah in your bachelor project. My husband is a muslim man. He is really a caring, smart, very responsible husband and father. He put the happiness of his family above his. He is one of the most selfless person I have ever met. And many are like this.
thank you so much for your project. i think maybe you are more knowledgeable in this area than i am (as a muslim) and maybe you already know this, but i wanna add something here. your story reminds me of many hadiths that i know where the Prophet Muhammad (as a role model for Muslims, in this context is an example for Muslim men in being part of the family) and his harmonious relationship with the family, guarding (from dangers in this world and hereafter) , respecting feelings, playing with children and grandchildren, exemplifying good things rather than dictating, and so on. i hope your studies are successful and bring goodness to everyone 😊❤
I'm a grumpy 47 yo, veteran with PTSD. This made me cry. I feel so much sadness for people that evil affects. I feel dispare that can't help all of them. I'm so happy that you could bring a smile to this wonderful person. Thank you Simone.
My coworker came here 7 years ago. He's 22 now and we have talked a bit about how it was and what he had experienced there. He still has nightmares, but not as often as before. Great kid and finally got his permanent residence here and we celebrated. Maybe I should send this video to him but I'm unsure how he will react. He still has family in Syria.
I love that not only did they NOT voice-over Mohammed, but they use English subtitles for him, an Arabic subtitled for Simone speaking English. Letting us hear the actual voices with all their character and emotion instead of some narrator(s).
As someone who spent almost 30 years as a professional toy designer, this brought a tear to my eye... You captured the essence of why we do what we do. It's joy. Mohammad absolutely gets it. thanks for sharing this wonderful film.
May Allah grant him the highest paradise, give him goodness in this world and even more in the next. May He exceed him in ranks for every smile he’s put on a child’s face. Ameen.
A friend of mine visited Syria before the war, and would repeatedly tell me how amazing it was and how kind everybody was. There was so much joy in her voice when she used to talk about it. This world is f'd up
As a Syrian i can confirm it was amazing compared to now. I was always 1st at class and i was bilingual at 5yo and multilingual at 13, i was expected to have a collage degree like my older siblings, now i am 17 and haven't stepped in a school since i was 10 due to the civil war😂.
@@barakato Once, Syria used to be the richest country. I wonder how people easily become so foolish, degrading their own values relying upon foreign foes. 😑
@@fadeout007 they hoped for a better future where the president is not a children killing dictator, but it got worse. But honestly most of my people didn't deserve anything better, pick a random Syrian and turn him into the president of Syria and you will see how fast he turns into a bashar like dictator if not worse, i am Syrian, i know my people.
I am Mentor to a little Syrian Boy. He lives in my neighbourhood and we meet regularly for activities which we means a lot to both of us (I think). I will show him this video ❤
"There is so much joy and sadness and hope and despair and the stubbornness in finding these little pockets of glitter in a situation that is so out of his control." really got me and then the next shot is him crying. All the love to you, your family and friends Mohammad.
Syrian people are so wholesome. I met a few Syrian girls in University here in Algeria, they are some of the nicest people I ever met. May Allah bless them and protect them.
This was so wholesome. The delay for translation adds to the comedy of the situation. Especially the joking. Almost as if watching someone think about a joke before understanding the punchline and then laughing at it. It almost seems like they're an old married couple. It's beautiful hahah.
Changing the world starts with empathy between two people. A beautiful, small step. This was profoundly moving, Simone. "Every child wants to be happy."
Thank you Simone, for putting light on what many people overlook about camps, that they contain people not just numbers Your videos are always an inspiration and thank you for the extra effort of including subtitles in Arabic and in English Many organizations miss the point that shelter, water, and food are not the only essential things to keep kids happy, Education, Dreams, Arts, and freedom to break stuff and learn are also critical Back when i was a kid the only present we used to reserve for Christmas was to attend events held by the red cross in Beirut, where teenage volunteers build DIY games from scraps of wood, parts of cars, household appliances, and whatever they were able to find, it was great to play there and in a way verry inspiring, As well late it was an emotional experience, to stand on the other end and see how hard it is to build games and toys in a society that doesn't have enough to eat entirely but as well how rewarding it is to see the kids having fun and hopefully getting inspired thank you for the video, it is one of the few that show refugees in dignity not just misery and pitty
Not building a robot or a funny hat, but building a relation with another culture using the best tools you have, a great personality, humor and respect. Thanks
Well, I didn't expect Simone to make me cry today. Lol. I don't know if this will become a series but I really think it needs to be. Following you travelling around the world to collab with other makers, would be incredible to watch.
I totally agree with you. lets hope this becomes a regular thing. I still want to see her in her shop doing thins too, but how great some would some traveling Simone be?
As someone who briefly lived in Jordan and had friends/team members who helped out at refugee camps, I was not expecting this video but I think it’s very cool, and it’s especially cool that you included both English and Arabic translations! It’s a beautiful and fascinating country filled with the friendliest and most hospitable people I’ve ever met, and yet at the same time it’s a melting pot of refugees from all over the Middle East who have faced unimaginable tragedy and had to completely start over after being forced out of their homes and losing everything. Thank you for bringing attention to good people and their struggles that most people don’t know about.
I've been excited for this video ever since you introduced Mohammad to us on Patreon! Every bit as excellent as I was expecting, so glad you do such cool things like this ❤
As a syrian who's lived most of his Life in Aleppo until 2017, this warms my heart. I've developed a love to create, fix, and break things thanks to you! I started watching your videos when I was still in Aleppo and had to wait for the videos to buffer (which took ages). Seeing one of my favorite TH-camrs raise awareness on the Syrian crisis is just so heartwarming. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart ❤
Pretty same grown up watching news regarding unrest in the Middle East, now when I get to know the insides, it's like a turmoil that didn't just dissolve the people, but some of the oldest and glorious cities dismantled too, like Aleppo, Idlib, Damascus...
To all our Syrian brothers & sisters, we pray tomorrow shall be better for every displaced soul out there, may God bring forth Prosperity to all our Syrian brethren, thank you Simone for sharing this video, love from Egypt ❤
As a Syrian person I am really happy that you shed the light on some of the talents in this country, Syria is full of crafts like smithing and carpeting but many of these crafts are extinct after the war
Thank you very much to everyone who was involved in this project. This film is a great proof that 8 minutes and 20 seconds can showcase authenticity, respect, love, challenges, hopes, failures and the best and worst of humanity. I truly believe this piece of art have some real healing energy. Special thanks to Simone for gifting the World with your talent, playfulness, joyfulness and even vulnerability. Wishing the best for all from the Czech Republic
I'vd had such a rush of emotions in just 8 minutes. Words cannot describe how this made me feel. I'm in tears, and i dont know why. Thank you, for showing the humanity of these people, for showing their realities
Dear Simone, I follow you for many years. You are an incredible creative and wonderful person. This video is so beautiful and full of humanity. Thank you for doing this and keep sharing your fantastic projects and stories. Warm regards from Belgium, Lieven
Curiosity, imagination, and joy are a part of a language that anyone can understand and express no matter where you are in the world and no matter how old you are. Seeing you two work, problem solve, and laugh together gives me more hope for this world.
For nearly 20 years I work with children in unprivileged situations. I teach scenography, murals, some basic technical stuff but most importantly I work with children on empathy, self care and ability to observe and learn. I work with kids on border of being in bad situations or even literally with no education, no money, no families and often no opportunities. These kids are the most grateful, emotionally capable and open for new experiences. They are also more mature than many kids that are not in such situations.. but they should still be kids not forced to "grow up" out of necessity of situation they are put in. I was not ready for such rollercoaster of emotions. Thank you Simone! PS Muhammad is a badass.
I am a Canadian engineer who lived in Northern Africa for 3 years as a child. This video brought back so many memories, linking the environment and people from there back to what I do today. This is the best content I watched this year. Thank you! ❤
Simone, I began following you all those years ago as an escape from the "real world" and the at times unimaginable consequences of life. The juxtaposition of barbed wire and the children's bright smiles moved me to tears, even before the epilogue. Thank you for this all-too-brief reminder of the tenacity of joy, and the importance of being present and grateful.
This was so beautiful and touching. Brought tears to my eyes. Especially his words at the end: "Every child wants to be happy. Every child has aspirations. The joy of kids... this is hope!"
Mohammad is amazing. Thank you, for introducing us to your incredible friend Simone. And thank you UNHCR for caring for so many people in such dire circumstances.
What a beautiful collboration between two quirky and eccentric inventors! Thank you for coming together and sharing your creativity and passion with your viewers! I laughed, I cried, and I have a further appreciation for the importance of eye protection! Thank you Simone, Thank you Mohammad, and thank you to the production team that helped bring this to us!
the man is not stubborn, he is proud and he only wants to get the components he is missing. He was proud of his homemade toys and you ignored all the achievement and just wanted to show off your products. His message was to get in touch with the world but not become totally dependent despite his difficult circumstances. Are you able to understand such pride?
add to that, in this camp he may not have access to all these fancy stuff, he is making his toys out of cardboards which shows how much resilience he has, and to understand how powerful a paper is, we have to think of "Origami" and what they did with it in Space of unfolding structures, all depending on the concept of a paper!
"Every Child has aspirations, in all meanings of the word." that really touches and make me cry 😭 and those kids in Syria May Allah help them and make us one of the means to this cause. Aamiin. 👐
To you, he's a stubborn old man, yet to him, you became like a daughter. Impossible as it may seem, you both managed to bridge cultural, religious, language, and age gaps to find tenderness and respect for one another. This is one of the most memorable stories I've heard in a long time.
ما فعلته هذه السيدة عظيم جدا ، فهي أدخلت السرور على قلب ذلك الشيخ الشغوف المليء بالدفئ والأمل وحب الخير للأطفال اﻻجئين، جنسيتين مختلفتين وربما ديانات مختلفة ولكن جمعهما الحب وأي حب حب الطفولة النائمة بين أضلع الناس جميعا أطفاﻻ وشيوخا وكهوﻻ نساء ورجاﻻ، 🌹♥️♥️♥️👏👏👏
I loved every second of this. I had ALL of the feels. Happy tears, crying from laughter, sad tears when he spoke of the children and then crying at the tenderness of the departure. ❤
There should be a film after this. Simone and the Toy Maker. Big heart Simone. Muhammad the Toy maker is a symbol of Syrian kindness. I know lots of them.
Such a touching and moving video. I'm glad you got the opportunity to share this, and Mohammad, with the world. (also a tiny sidenote, I am in LOVE with your hair in this video, it looks so good)
From making a chopping machine that made me laugh until I cried to this video that just made me cry... You and Mohammad are both amazing people. Bringing smiles to kids who get so few opportunities to smile is special work.
You are so blessed to spend time with Mohamad. Syrian people are beautiful filled with so much humility. I love my Syrian students words cannot explain my love I have for them. Beautiful video
Beautiful. Two big-hearted people meet and explore. Toward the end of the video the children laughed and to that I would say "Mission accomplished". Thanks a bunch Simone and thanks to the Syrian refugee who did not surrender to despair but went on a mission to instill joy in kids hearts and minds. The world is much better with people like the two of you. God bless
Thank you, Simone, for bringing us a brighter side of the Middle East and its people in such hard times. You are so touching and human in everything you do.
Thank you to support our awesome people, and to see how courteous we are, how free we are, and many things to show the world that these are the same people who called for freedom against al-Assad which is the biggest terrorist and the biggest drug baron of this era. God will be with you my people.
WTH I saw, you both are amazing! You can't imagine how much that was important for him, breaking the ice he lived in, 10 years in a camp, 10 years in an open-air prison. May Allah bless you, Simone!
تحياتي شاهدت الفيديو وكم كان جميل لانك انسانه راقيه وابتسامتك براءه كبراءه الاطفال وصاحبه فكاهه وكم كنت اتمنى ان اقابلكم ولكنني الان لم ارغب بذلك عندما شاهدت نهايه الحلقه بالوداع الموءلم وانا لا احب الوداع لانه موقف صعب وخاصه امثالكم وقليل الكلام يفسر الكثير
Adding a pinned comment with some FAQ!
How did we understand each other? We both had earbuds with a translator, you can see it in some of the shots during the build. It's why some of the pacing of the conversation is a bit slow! Also it's why Mohammad keeps talking about me in third person 😂
Can we send toys to the kids and building materials to Mohammad? I've talked to the UNHCR rep that we worked with, and getting things there is apparently really complicated and costly for both the sender and Mohammad. I will let you know if that changes. For what it's worth I ended up giving him almost every tool that I brought to Jordan.
@@simonegiertz Would it be easier to make monetary donations to help them source materials and toys there instead?
very nice simone and mohammad waheed i nice mughal cnc pakistan thank you
If you're not first you're fifth. I'm fifth comment.
This is so beautiful. "It kind of feels like we're two peas in a pod, just planted in very different parts of the world." Thank you both for sharing your joy with us.
Hey Cleo! I discovered you both on the Nuclear Fusion collaboration when Tom Scott mentioned you in his newsletter. So glad I found you both! You're both amazing creators :)
I am obsessed with their kinder spirit working together.
I thought I recognized you Cleo.
"Even if it hits us in the face, the most important thing is that it flies." Yes, I can imagin Simone saying that! xD
No way Cleo also watches Simone video. What a wierd coincidence. Probably just Algorithmic overlords tho
I love how grumpy this guy looks, and yet he makes these brightly colored, sparkly children's toys... what a genuinely good person.
trust me that's typical Syrian Grandpa Attitude, Hard shell with a soft core
He looks like the human equivalent of grumpy cat
He reminds me a lot of the toymaker in Hugo
It's like a sports car.
On the outside it looks like it hates everything, and would rather not be there. but on this inside it's just really eager to show you what it can do, it just wants to have fun and make people happy.
I don't see how he looks grumpy I mean especially if you consider he's seen the horrors of war
As a Syrian immigrant and a woman in engineering, I can’t comprehend how much this video means to me. Thank you for sharing ❤️
exactly same here
is this related to your position?
Alright now go burn cars and create chaos in the country you live asking to implement Sharia law
Yes it is a very inspirational video.
شجلكين يولي لاتفضحينه بس
Simone, ⚘
شكراً لكِ لأنكِ أدخلتي السرور لقلب العم محمد .. نحن فخورون جداً بما يصنعه
العم محمد مثل الشعب السوري هو يستحق أن ينال حريته والعودة للديار .. وأن يتم محاسبة الأرهابي بشار الأسد على ما فعله
Simone, you made a stubborn old man cry because you showed you care. In an uncaring world even small acts of kindness such as yours can work wonders. Bless you.
Yeah she is a wholesome human being
Not just that, because despite everything that happened to him he was inside still child, waiting for another child to come and play with him and share his toys. This video is so beautiful
He may be stubborn but he has a big heart
The old man has seen a lot in his life than anyone could bear, many go astray, but he's got supreme courage for sure.
he was not stubborn!! you should know the talking culture of different people first and then judge them.
I love the fact that this didn't sugarcoat or just focus on the fake smiles. They showed the bickering, the differences in their approaches.. and in the end, I was crying . Well done everyone involved! Simone, hope you're okay, I'm sure it's not easy to see something like this without having the ability to completely change it... ❤
I spent the last two weekends building a picnic table with my grandfather. We are both civil engineers, but before that he worked as a carpenter for over 10 years. He taught me old wood joints, so we could build the whole table without using any screws. When Simone said with a smile: "He thinks I'm incompetent, and I think he's a stubborn old man," I had to laugh because that sums up our individual projects very well. After that, the rest of the video naturally reminded me a lot of someone I love very much. It's easy to build a mental wall against the emotional impact of news from other countries when you live in a more stable and safe country like me in Germany, even if you can find the same kinds of beautiful souls everywhere you go. Thanks for the important reminder.
(Also sorry, English is not my first language).
You never have to apologize for making the effort to reach someone through their language. That's more than most English speakers will ever do
Man, your english is amazing!
Your written English is better than a native English speaker's tbh.
Very well stated.
me and my dad. i wish i met my grandparents but still - i love those kind of interactions between generations
As a Syrian daughter of immigrants, seeing one of my favorite TH-camrs post a video that truly encapsulates the kindness of Syrian people is amazing. Thank you Simone 🫶🏻
Right? SO INCREDIBLE!
♡
Im John Wick, and this video made me cry, she is the best youtuber out there
My grandparents were Palestinian refugees in Syria, it's heartbreaking that now so many Syrians are refugees. Thank you for making a video showcasing the kindness and humanity of these people ,who were so kind to my family when the world turned it's back on Palestine.
حبيبي
“The joy of the kids and them feeling happy. This is hope”
So goddamn beautiful.
I LOVE the captions for the English portion!!!! Now people who got to see this man from their village work on this can enjoy your content! So thoughtful, so wonderful.
Ditto!
there were many captions not translated, I want to know more about Mohammad and his toys, I want to know his thoughts and beliefs.
As a Syrian refugee myself, with a MUCH better situation that Muhammad is in, and someone who has been in love with Simone and her energy ever since I first stumbled upon her on YT, this makes me feel so many emotions.
You two couldn't have come from more different backgrounds, and you probably couldn't have led more different lives, but you had a project together, you learned to work together and compromise for each other's vision, and you ended up creating a connection that felt genuine to me. And I say that having understood every word that was spoken in both languages, and having known you through your videos, and dozens of people like him from back home.
Cudos for a beautiful video, Simone, and an amazing, if short-lived, helicopter as well!!
it flew low on earth but high in our hearts!
Also this comment means a lot. Thank you ❤️
@@simonegiertz you are single. If you are interested and accepted me I love you
That was beautiful and awkward and lovely. All the kids peeking in the window, and the crazy exploding helicopter covered in glitter, and the kindness in Mohammed’s eyes. Love to him, and to you, Simone.
He's like that father who thinks his old-school analog ways are more enjoyable and she's like that kid who thinks new tech is just easier. Eventually, they always meet in the middle and learn something from each other. But you can see the chemistry between them. Probably one of the most authentic interactions I've seen in a long time.
Love this comment😊
This should have more likes.
I normally don't comment on TH-cam videos but this video makes me wanna say so many things.
First of all, it's one of the most amazing and magical videos I've seen on TH-cam in a long time, really showcasing that we all - across culture, location and religion - are just human beings and that meetings between people can have a great impact on everyone involved. It's amazing to see how your actions and thoughts are so reflective of your respective cultures but how they melt together perfectly through humour and curiosity.
I study Middle Eastern studies and Arabic and I'm going to write my bachelor's project on Muslim men and their ideas of masculinities and responsibilities as a husband and father. For far too long in both academia and the media, the negative image of the Muslim man as violent, cold hearted and agressive has dominated and there is a big gap when it comes to showcasing and documenting the nuances that exists within Muslim men; how they care for their families and children, how they go above and beyond to provide for their families and loved ones often while struggling with displacement, conflict or bad economy.
Mohammad is just one of many like him and he is not joking when he says you're now like a daughter to him. This is how big and caring the heart of many Muslim men are and it is clear in this video that everything he does is in devotion to those around him.
Thank you for being a part of bringing stories like Mohammad out into the world.
As a middle eastern Muslim I am really glad that you could see beyond the typical media presentation of a muslim family.
I am genuinely interested in reading your bachelor's project.
...and thank you for your studies and efforts to break the stereotype of Muslim men. I'm a Muslim father, and I often cringed when I heard or saw the Western depiction of a Muslim man; so far from the example of our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW. Good luck with your project, may Allah bless and guide you, and give you happiness and health. Salam...
May Allah makes it easy for you and put barakah in your bachelor project. My husband is a muslim man. He is really a caring, smart, very responsible husband and father. He put the happiness of his family above his. He is one of the most selfless person I have ever met. And many are like this.
thank you so much for your project. i think maybe you are more knowledgeable in this area than i am (as a muslim) and maybe you already know this, but i wanna add something here. your story reminds me of many hadiths that i know where the Prophet Muhammad (as a role model for Muslims, in this context is an example for Muslim men in being part of the family) and his harmonious relationship with the family, guarding (from dangers in this world and hereafter) , respecting feelings, playing with children and grandchildren, exemplifying good things rather than dictating, and so on. i hope your studies are successful and bring goodness to everyone 😊❤
How kind, respectful and fair you are.. I wish you success
I'm a grumpy 47 yo, veteran with PTSD. This made me cry. I feel so much sadness for people that evil affects. I feel dispare that can't help all of them. I'm so happy that you could bring a smile to this wonderful person. Thank you Simone.
There are a lot of us that sincerely appreciate your service. You did what we aren't brave enough to do. Wishing you peace in everything you do.
Thank you for your service. You helped a lot and continue to do so in the ways you can that's all one can do. Peace and good health.
Much respect to you Joe, I wish you all the very best life has to offer. Take care my brother.
Yeah, the US really messed Syria up, it's so sad.
I'm a grumpy 62 old infantry veteran with PTSD. I cried too. You are not alone.
The interaction between these two is so wholesome and sweet and I need more
Fr ❤️
Yes, marry him Simone, and please record every interaction u have with him so we can see it please
Right?! And they come from COMPLETELY different walks of life, yet still relate on some level. It's beautiful.
I'd subscribe to the Simone and Mohammed channel.
They're like a wild uncle/niece combo and I love it
As someone from a Syrian origin (3rd generation immigrant) ... this brought joy to my heart, and tears to my eyes! THANK YOU, SIMONE! ❤
I'm crying with you. Not Syrian, just a fellow human currently based in Poland.
My coworker came here 7 years ago. He's 22 now and we have talked a bit about how it was and what he had experienced there. He still has nightmares, but not as often as before. Great kid and finally got his permanent residence here and we celebrated. Maybe I should send this video to him but I'm unsure how he will react. He still has family in Syria.
I love that not only did they NOT voice-over Mohammed, but they use English subtitles for him, an Arabic subtitled for Simone speaking English.
Letting us hear the actual voices with all their character and emotion instead of some narrator(s).
It felt like a dad and a daughter working together, arguing and having fun.
Wholesome
As someone who spent almost 30 years as a professional toy designer, this brought a tear to my eye... You captured the essence of why we do what we do.
It's joy.
Mohammad absolutely gets it.
thanks for sharing this wonderful film.
This was the most wholesome thing ever. My jaw hurts from smiling, and my eyes sting from crying.
You said it best.
This!
Coming from Syria myself this is the best thing I've seen even the kids laugh at the end was beautiful well done and thank you for doing this ❤❤❤
May Allah grant him the highest paradise, give him goodness in this world and even more in the next. May He exceed him in ranks for every smile he’s put on a child’s face. Ameen.
Ameen
Ameen ❤
Amen to that!!!
Ameen
A friend of mine visited Syria before the war, and would repeatedly tell me how amazing it was and how kind everybody was. There was so much joy in her voice when she used to talk about it. This world is f'd up
As a Syrian i can confirm it was amazing compared to now.
I was always 1st at class and i was bilingual at 5yo and multilingual at 13, i was expected to have a collage degree like my older siblings, now i am 17 and haven't stepped in a school since i was 10 due to the civil war😂.
@@barakato Ah! You couldn't make it to Turkiye or Germany or any where else. I presume Syrians got refuge in such countries.
@@fadeout007 unfortunately no.
@@barakato Once, Syria used to be the richest country. I wonder how people easily become so foolish, degrading their own values relying upon foreign foes. 😑
@@fadeout007 they hoped for a better future where the president is not a children killing dictator, but it got worse.
But honestly most of my people didn't deserve anything better, pick a random Syrian and turn him into the president of Syria and you will see how fast he turns into a bashar like dictator if not worse, i am Syrian, i know my people.
I am Mentor to a little Syrian Boy. He lives in my neighbourhood and we meet regularly for activities which we means a lot to both of us (I think). I will show him this video ❤
This is quite unique. There's a lot to unpack culturally, personality-wise, technologically. Please, do more of these.
It's from youtube and UNHCR so sadly I don't think Simone can choose to make more on her own :( There are more videos in the series though!
"There is so much joy and sadness and hope and despair and the stubbornness in finding these little pockets of glitter in a situation that is so out of his control." really got me and then the next shot is him crying.
All the love to you, your family and friends Mohammad.
Syrian people are so wholesome. I met a few Syrian girls in University here in Algeria, they are some of the nicest people I ever met.
May Allah bless them and protect them.
This was so wholesome. The delay for translation adds to the comedy of the situation. Especially the joking. Almost as if watching someone think about a joke before understanding the punchline and then laughing at it. It almost seems like they're an old married couple. It's beautiful hahah.
as someone who knows both arabic & english, seeing their cultures converge is so cool, seeing them go back and forth is so surreal
Changing the world starts with empathy between two people. A beautiful, small step. This was profoundly moving, Simone.
"Every child wants to be happy."
Thank you Simone, for putting light on what many people overlook about camps, that they contain people not just numbers
Your videos are always an inspiration and thank you for the extra effort of including subtitles in Arabic and in English
Many organizations miss the point that shelter, water, and food are not the only essential things to keep kids happy, Education, Dreams, Arts, and freedom to break stuff and learn are also critical
Back when i was a kid the only present we used to reserve for Christmas was to attend events held by the red cross in Beirut, where teenage volunteers build DIY games from scraps of wood, parts of cars, household appliances, and whatever they were able to find, it was great to play there and in a way verry inspiring,
As well late it was an emotional experience, to stand on the other end and see how hard it is to build games and toys in a society that doesn't have enough to eat entirely but as well how rewarding it is to see the kids having fun and hopefully getting inspired
thank you for the video, it is one of the few that show refugees in dignity not just misery and pitty
You made me cry as well,may god bless you and him and help us all
"Every child wants to be happy"
my eyes are in tears following this video. I can say nothing else so just the quote on top, by Mohammad.
Not building a robot or a funny hat, but building a relation with another culture using the best tools you have, a great personality, humor and respect. Thanks
Well, I didn't expect Simone to make me cry today. Lol.
I don't know if this will become a series but I really think it needs to be. Following you travelling around the world to collab with other makers, would be incredible to watch.
I totally agree with you. lets hope this becomes a regular thing. I still want to see her in her shop doing thins too, but how great some would some traveling Simone be?
This was beautiful. I could watch a whole series of this. And shout out to the translator ❤
Was just one translator doing the translation for the both of us and she did such a good job! Can't imagine how intense that must be for your brain.
@@simonegiertz it looks seamless! Bra jobbat!
By the end I thought Simone might understand Arabic. Seamless translation and editing, amazing!
I was not ready for Mohammad's last statements there, my heart is so full and shattered at the same time
They look like father and daughter. So sweet both
Ummm, seeing the number of people involved / credited is mind blowing. Thank you to all!
As someone who briefly lived in Jordan and had friends/team members who helped out at refugee camps, I was not expecting this video but I think it’s very cool, and it’s especially cool that you included both English and Arabic translations! It’s a beautiful and fascinating country filled with the friendliest and most hospitable people I’ve ever met, and yet at the same time it’s a melting pot of refugees from all over the Middle East who have faced unimaginable tragedy and had to completely start over after being forced out of their homes and losing everything. Thank you for bringing attention to good people and their struggles that most people don’t know about.
I've been excited for this video ever since you introduced Mohammad to us on Patreon! Every bit as excellent as I was expecting, so glad you do such cool things like this ❤
Glad it lived up to my Patreon post hype! Mohammad is just the best. Hard not to love him.
As a syrian who's lived most of his Life in Aleppo until 2017, this warms my heart. I've developed a love to create, fix, and break things thanks to you! I started watching your videos when I was still in Aleppo and had to wait for the videos to buffer (which took ages). Seeing one of my favorite TH-camrs raise awareness on the Syrian crisis is just so heartwarming. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart ❤
Pretty same grown up watching news regarding unrest in the Middle East, now when I get to know the insides, it's like a turmoil that didn't just dissolve the people, but some of the oldest and glorious cities dismantled too, like Aleppo, Idlib, Damascus...
To all our Syrian brothers & sisters, we pray tomorrow shall be better for every displaced soul out there, may God bring forth Prosperity to all our Syrian brethren, thank you Simone for sharing this video, love from Egypt ❤
As a Syrian person I am really happy that you shed the light on some of the talents in this country, Syria is full of crafts like smithing and carpeting but many of these crafts are extinct after the war
Beautiful. "Every child has aspirations in every sense of the word." Even the stubborn old ones.
This was really powerful. The amount we take for granted is astonishing. Thank you Simone.
Thank you very much to everyone who was involved in this project. This film is a great proof that 8 minutes and 20 seconds can showcase authenticity, respect, love, challenges, hopes, failures and the best and worst of humanity. I truly believe this piece of art have some real healing energy. Special thanks to Simone for gifting the World with your talent, playfulness, joyfulness and even vulnerability. Wishing the best for all from the Czech Republic
🤍
I'vd had such a rush of emotions in just 8 minutes. Words cannot describe how this made me feel. I'm in tears, and i dont know why. Thank you, for showing the humanity of these people, for showing their realities
Possibly the most emotionally rewarding video I've seen in a good long while
As someone who has Syrian parents who immigrated to Sweden before I was born it's beautiful seeing both my cultures mesh in such a lovely way!
Dear Simone, I follow you for many years. You are an incredible creative and wonderful person. This video is so beautiful and full of humanity. Thank you for doing this and keep sharing your fantastic projects and stories. Warm regards from Belgium, Lieven
He did make me cry :c God bless all of you, Mr Mohammad and Simone
Curiosity, imagination, and joy are a part of a language that anyone can understand and express no matter where you are in the world and no matter how old you are. Seeing you two work, problem solve, and laugh together gives me more hope for this world.
For nearly 20 years I work with children in unprivileged situations. I teach scenography, murals, some basic technical stuff but most importantly I work with children on empathy, self care and ability to observe and learn. I work with kids on border of being in bad situations or even literally with no education, no money, no families and often no opportunities. These kids are the most grateful, emotionally capable and open for new experiences.
They are also more mature than many kids that are not in such situations.. but they should still be kids not forced to "grow up" out of necessity of situation they are put in.
I was not ready for such rollercoaster of emotions. Thank you Simone!
PS
Muhammad is a badass.
This has to be the most wholesome thing on the internet today. Then the goodbye is SO HARD. What can we do to help?
I am a Canadian engineer who lived in Northern Africa for 3 years as a child. This video brought back so many memories, linking the environment and people from there back to what I do today. This is the best content I watched this year. Thank you! ❤
Greetings from algeria pay us a visit again cheers
Man this made me tear up. May Allah grant him paradise and make it easy for him, his family, and the kids.
I wish Syria will be free!
Thank for this video
Simone, I began following you all those years ago as an escape from the "real world" and the at times unimaginable consequences of life. The juxtaposition of barbed wire and the children's bright smiles moved me to tears, even before the epilogue. Thank you for this all-too-brief reminder of the tenacity of joy, and the importance of being present and grateful.
So beautiful 😢 Syrians 🇸🇾 are the most brave people gone through so much still manage to smile and make children happy ❤️
The little giggle mohammad let out when simone called him hardcore went straight through my heart like an arrow
This was so beautiful and touching. Brought tears to my eyes. Especially his words at the end: "Every child wants to be happy. Every child has aspirations. The joy of kids... this is hope!"
Mohammad is amazing. Thank you, for introducing us to your incredible friend Simone. And thank you UNHCR for caring for so many people in such dire circumstances.
What a beautiful collboration between two quirky and eccentric inventors! Thank you for coming together and sharing your creativity and passion with your viewers! I laughed, I cried, and I have a further appreciation for the importance of eye protection! Thank you Simone, Thank you Mohammad, and thank you to the production team that helped bring this to us!
the man is not stubborn, he is proud and he only wants to get the components he is missing. He was proud of his homemade toys and you ignored all the achievement and just wanted to show off your products. His message was to get in touch with the world but not become totally dependent despite his difficult circumstances. Are you able to understand such pride?
add to that, in this camp he may not have access to all these fancy stuff, he is making his toys out of cardboards which shows how much resilience he has, and to understand how powerful a paper is, we have to think of "Origami" and what they did with it in Space of unfolding structures, all depending on the concept of a paper!
And i agree with you 2 💕 ❤️
I felt so sorry for this man i just wnat to hug him but i should he looks like one who is loved by god all mighty
I didn't expect to be on the verge if tears at a Simone video, but here I am, you never disappoint Simone
yeah that hit a lot harder than I ever expected.
"Every Child has aspirations, in all meanings of the word." that really touches and make me cry 😭 and those kids in Syria May Allah help them and make us one of the means to this cause. Aamiin. 👐
To you, he's a stubborn old man, yet to him, you became like a daughter. Impossible as it may seem, you both managed to bridge cultural, religious, language, and age gaps to find tenderness and respect for one another. This is one of the most memorable stories I've heard in a long time.
He is such a pure soul! What a gem of a person!
This is beautiful, thank you so much for sharing his story and spreading the joy AND the sadness.
Hello how are you doing today
Oh ye gods this was charming and heartbreaking and they both and together are adorable as ducks (fine, autocorrect, you’re not entirely wrong).
I'm so happy to be deemed duck-level adorable
They're... like two ducks in a pond. That's a phrase now, I'm coining it.
ما فعلته هذه السيدة عظيم جدا ، فهي أدخلت السرور على قلب ذلك الشيخ الشغوف المليء بالدفئ والأمل وحب الخير للأطفال اﻻجئين، جنسيتين مختلفتين وربما ديانات مختلفة ولكن جمعهما الحب وأي حب حب الطفولة النائمة بين أضلع الناس جميعا أطفاﻻ وشيوخا وكهوﻻ نساء ورجاﻻ، 🌹♥️♥️♥️👏👏👏
You know the amazing thing. Without old old fashioned people we wouldnt realise how much we appreciate youthfullness.
Didn’t expect to cry over a sub-10 minute video this morning but here we are
I loved every second of this. I had ALL of the feels. Happy tears, crying from laughter, sad tears when he spoke of the children and then crying at the tenderness of the departure. ❤
The friendship you formed was so precious to see. My heart is melting.
There should be a film after this. Simone and the Toy Maker.
Big heart Simone.
Muhammad the Toy maker is a symbol of Syrian kindness. I know lots of them.
I really enjoyed the way you communicate with Muhammad to help in drawing the smile on the faces of the kids of the refugee camp ! So Thank you
Such a touching and moving video. I'm glad you got the opportunity to share this, and Mohammad, with the world. (also a tiny sidenote, I am in LOVE with your hair in this video, it looks so good)
It's what we call a "30 second braid without a mirror"
@@simonegiertz Big Mirror didn't win that day. You did.
I didn't expect to tear up while simultaneously smiling when I started this video. Thank you.
Det här är det mest hjärtevärmande jag sett på länge! Tack för att du lät oss alla träffa Mohammad ❤
@@arottedfruit Simone ÄR svensk
Whoaaa! 😮
Vel, hallo fra Norge!🫶🏼
The duo we never knew we needed, I want to see you both make all the things!!!
I can see on her face she has a beautiful soul and the gentleman has a kind heart..May you both get a special place in paradise.Ameen.
From making a chopping machine that made me laugh until I cried to this video that just made me cry...
You and Mohammad are both amazing people. Bringing smiles to kids who get so few opportunities to smile is special work.
Thank you to everyone who was a part of the creation.
This was a very beautiful, bittersweet piece. And also, I think, a very important story to tell.
This was wholesome and wonderful. Simone and Mohammad are wonderful people who bring joy and light into the world, half a world apart.
You are so blessed to spend time with Mohamad. Syrian people are beautiful filled with so much humility. I love my Syrian students words cannot explain my love I have for them.
Beautiful video
Beautiful. Two big-hearted people meet and explore. Toward the end of the video the children laughed and to that I would say "Mission accomplished". Thanks a bunch Simone and thanks to the Syrian refugee who did not surrender to despair but went on a mission to instill joy in kids hearts and minds. The world is much better with people like the two of you. God bless
يا الله الفيديو لطييييييييف لدرجه دمعت يارب يكون بعونهم يارب ويخفف معاناتهم❤❤❤
Thank you, Simone, for bringing us a brighter side of the Middle East and its people in such hard times. You are so touching and human in everything you do.
how could you not love her! she makes the world a better place
this video is once every 1000 years . I loved every second .
Thank you to support our awesome people, and to see how courteous we are, how free we are, and many things to show the world that these are the same people who called for freedom against al-Assad which is the biggest terrorist and the biggest drug baron of this era.
God will be with you my people.
WTH I saw, you both are amazing! You can't imagine how much that was important for him, breaking the ice he lived in, 10 years in a camp, 10 years in an open-air prison. May Allah bless you, Simone!
Mohammad's toys are not just simple objects, but they are also works of art that bring joy to the children in the camp.
This is how the world should be. People from different places and lifestyles coming together to make children laugh.
شكرا لك لإتاحة هذا الرجل فرصه والتشجيع لامل قريب إن شاءالله...
تحياتي شاهدت الفيديو وكم كان جميل لانك انسانه راقيه وابتسامتك براءه كبراءه الاطفال وصاحبه فكاهه وكم كنت اتمنى ان اقابلكم ولكنني الان لم ارغب بذلك عندما شاهدت نهايه الحلقه بالوداع الموءلم وانا لا احب الوداع لانه موقف صعب وخاصه امثالكم وقليل الكلام يفسر الكثير
@TheSimoneGiertz اتمنى لكم التوفيق والصحه والعافيه والعمر المديد في مسيرتكم الانسانيه وقليل الكلام يفسر الكثير مع خالص تحياتي لكم ولاسرتكم الكريمه