DARAA, Syria, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Inside a rusted train carriage on an abandoned railway line in southern Syria, Mohammad Oweimer has built what he calls home.
The metal walls are frigid in winter and stifling in summer. Rain leaks through the roof, dripping onto thin mattresses on the floor, while a small wood stove fights the chill. Outside, derelict train cars stretch across a debris-strewn field where children play among rust and rubble.
For Oweimer and his three children, this is where life has settled after years of war, displacement and economic hardship left them with nowhere else to go.
"The war destroyed my house," Oweimer said. "After that, we kept moving from one place to another. I rented homes, but in the end, I couldn't afford the rent anymore. Prices became too high, and now I'm unemployed."
Oweimer, a former Daraa firefighter, lost his job after the previous government fell. With no steady income and rising living costs, his options quickly ran out.
Eight months ago, he moved into one of the abandoned train carriages at a railway station in the city, converting it into a shelter for his family.
"I didn't choose this place willingly. All other solutions were closed to me," he said.
Oweimer explained that he had previously stayed in a few empty homes while the owners were away; he did not pay rent but cleaned and maintained the places. Once the owners came back, he left.
That was how he ended up in the abandoned train car.
Inside, the space is sparse. Blankets hang as makeshift curtains. A small battery powers basic lighting. Personal belongings are tucked into corners as the children share worn mattresses.
Living conditions are harsh year-round.
"The carriage is made of metal. In winter, it is extremely cold, and in summer, very hot," Oweimer said. "This is something we have to adapt to. During the winter, I tried to cover the roof to stop the rain, but water still drips on us."
His son Qusai, a third-grade student, says life inside the carriage is difficult.
"Living in the carriage is very hard," the boy said. "In winter, water falls on us. I wish my mother would come back, and that we could live in a house like everyone else."
Like many families in southern Syria, Oweimer's story reflects the long shadow of a conflict that began in 2011 and devastated homes, infrastructure and livelihoods across the country.
Although large-scale fighting has largely subsided in recent years, economic conditions remain dire. Rising rents, unemployment and scant reconstruction have left many families struggling to find stable housing.
For Oweimer, uncertainty extends beyond this shelter. If authorities reclaim the railway, he does not know where his family will go next.
"I haven't even thought about that," he said. "If it happens, I will rely on the kindness of others. Someone has promised to help me find a place to stay, and I hope that happens so we don't face this situation again."
Despite everything, his hopes remain simple.
"I want a better life, not for me, but for my children," he said. "I want us to live in a stable home, to feel like a family again. I want to find work so I can provide for them and feel reassured that they are safe."
He said he once considered leaving the country, like many others seeking a way out.
"I thought about migration many times," he said. "But nothing worked. Everything collapsed."
As Syria grapples with the aftermath of war, stories like Oweimer's highlight families still searching for stability, even if that means a life inside a forgotten train carriage.
