I don't want any other children to go through what I have been through

Abd al Rahman gazes out of the window of the Handicap International rehabilitation room, his eyes firmly fixed on the sky. "His dream is to fly," explains his mother Hanane, while the young boy does exercises with Hussein, one of the organisation's physiotherapists. "My son is very clever, he loves studying, he's top of his class," she adds proudly.

Five years ago, Abd al Rahman was out playing with friends in his neighbourhood, back in Syria, when he was hit by shrapnel from a shell fired in a bombing raid.  "He was taken directly to the hospital. He was operated on three times there, and a fourth time here in Jordan," recounts Hanane.  An external fixation still sticks out of his leg, years after the bombing. Abd al Rahman works hard to complete his physiotherapy exercises. "I can't wait to walk like I did before," he says. "I need to, if I want to become a pilot."

Driven by his dream, the young Syrian is stoic and works through the pain and the scars with a smile on his face. Abd Al Rahman still thinks about life in Syria, "I remember my best friend, the walk to school, family dinners..." The memories then give way to his hopes for the future. "I don't want any more children to be hurt by bombings, nobody should go through what I have been through. And I want there to be peace in my country again. That's everything I wish for, when I think about the future."