Drawings on the walls, carpets, toys, pencils. And colours, colours everywhere. Those that in the city of Raqqa, Syria, ravaged by 12 years of war, are no longer there.

Instead, they return to live in the Safe Space for Children that we have opened in the city to create a place where they can recover what remains of their childhood, overwhelmed by a conflict for which they are not to blame.

Upon entering, they are warmly welcomed by local staff and the sweet smile of Lasu, Un Ponte Per's Protection Specialist.

Their job is to accompany children who have survived violence, trauma or who have been exposed to abuse and child labour with free counselling services. Very often, this is done through play.

"You might think this is just assistance, but this initiative saves lives," Lasu told us when we met him in the Safe Space in Raqqa during our last visit to Syria last September. 'It brings smiles back to the faces of the children', and he smiles too as he explains.

"We work every day to ensure their protection, helping them identify risks and giving them the tools they need to report incidents of violence, exploitation or abuse. I am thinking of an initiative we organised recently for the International Day Against Child Labour. We carried out some activities to create awareness both among the children in the Safe Space and in their community. During the event, one of our children expressed discomfort and the worker immediately noticed it.The child then revealed that he himself was involved in child labour. The discovery of this reality had broken his heart,' recalls Lasu.

The worker was then able to direct the child to the specific support he needed. "This story is just one case among many, but it helps to understand the effectiveness of the activities we do and the importance of creating child-friendly spaces," she stresses.

The war in Syria has taken a heavy toll on their mental health: from a very young age, they suffered bombing, destruction, displacement, and faced terrible bereavements such as the loss of their parents.

Six years after the battle of Raqqa, which liberated the city from the control of the Islamic State (Daehs) that had chosen it as its stronghold, the children are still growing up in the rubble. 60% of them do not go to school, 80% of the buildings are destroyed. Moving around the city it is not uncommon to see them playing in the rubble of destroyed buildings, or to discover that school has become a luxury for them.

This is why the Raqqa Safe Space is so important. For them, and for us too.

Among the youngest regulars are Miriam, Bissan and Ghazal. Three sisters originally from Aleppo, born and raised under the war. Like all the girls and boys we met in the Safe Space, they too have had "experiences that are difficult even for an adult to handle", as Nada, their adoptive mother, told us when we met her in Raqqa.

"They lost their 10-year-old brother and then, in another bombing, their mother". Mariam, Bissan and Ghazal fled their home in Aleppo and arrived in Raqqa where they now live with their father and Nada.

The experience of losing one or both parents is among the most widespread and difficult to cope with, leaving children with a great sense of loneliness and insecurity.

"Mariam, Bissan and Ghazal were shy and never wanted to spend time with other children," Nada told us. "Two years ago their father and I took them to Un Ponte Per's Safe Space and over the past year we are seeing great progress. They interact more and have friends both here and at school."

And it was the three girls who told us how much they love the Space, because there they can "sing, draw, and express our opinions".

Today, what can be heard echoing within the walls of the Raqqa Safe Space are the laughter of the children. Those laughter that we want to continue to protect and ensure, thanks to the efforts of our operators, and the many people who support our work from afar.

To those laughter, which we hope will turn into strength to face the future, we also wanted to dedicate our Christmas campaign 'Libere di Rompere'. Find out what you can do to support us at www.liberedirompere.unponteper.it.