This is a story of Syria, wherein uprising began a little more than five years ago.

Mass protests evolved into armed rebellion, a civil war descended into sectarian strife

and expanded into a proxy war, as more and more neighbors and great powers became

involved, including Saudi Arabia and the United States backing the opposition.

Russia and Iran unprecedented aside, and now there's a war within the war, battles against

the so-called Islamic State, and groups linked to al-Qaeda.

I'm Lee Stusset.

In this program, we'll hear how Syria's conflict has left a country in ruin, half its population

forcibly displaced, but we'll also hear voices of hope and resilience.

We'll hear Syrian voices.

This is Dera.

This is where the uprising in Syria began five years ago.

It began when some school boys scribbled some graffiti on a wall.

It's your turn, doctor, referring to President Bashar al-Assad, an ophthalmologist.

In the midst of what was then called the Arab Spring, the presidents of Tunisia, Egypt,

and later Colonel Qaddafi were toppled.

Syria's protest turned into the most brutal of wars, a war that still hasn't ended.

But today in Dera, aside from the occasional rattle of gunfire, there's only the bird

song, the sounds of a more normal life.

And I've come here to Dera University, where the students, students who are still here

who haven't left for Jordan or for Europe, are studying.

My name is, I'm a fourth year English student.

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