Experiencing a civil war is one of the most disruptive events that can befall a person. Stories from survivors offer us valuable insights into how people hold their own when society completely collapses.
By learning from their experiences, we can draw lessons from their experiences, testimonies and mistakes.
The impact of civil wars on daily life
When a civil war breaks out, normal life changes into a constant struggle to survive. Basic services such as electricity, water and food supply disappear, whilst medical help also becomes scarce. The stories from Bosnia and Syria illustrate how quickly a functioning society can change into a chaotic struggle to survive.
A Syrian survivor describes it poignantly:
“In 2010, one US dollar was worth 50 Syrian lira, Syria had 24 million inhabitants, no international debt, and was generally a lovely place to live. In 2023, one US dollar is worth 13,000 Syrian lira, Syria has fewer than 14 million inhabitants, our country is a war zone for all the major players on the globe and everyone wants to leave.”
The experiences from these conflicts show that surviving in a civil war revolves around adaptability, preparation and community building. What strikes me most personally in these stories is how quickly ‘normal’ can change into ‘survival’.
Signs of an approaching crisis
Civil wars rarely come out of nowhere. There are often warning signals that indicate a society is heading towards a conflict. A Syrian survivor explains how he noticed that an explosive conflict was approaching. “If you suddenly find yourself in an area where people are becoming more radical, or a militia is becoming stronger, or a certain ideology or militarisation is taking place, then simply pack your light and valuable belongings, and leave!”
Selco is a legendary blogger and survivor from the Bosnian war, although his testimonies are also disputed by some. Either way, you get an enormous amount of useful information from his experiences.
He lists several disturbing signals that he observed before the outbreak of violence
- Increasing polarisation in society
- Growing tensions between different ethnic or religious groups
- Political rhetoric that labels ‘the other’ as the enemy
- Declining trust in government institutions
- Media becoming increasingly partisan
The Bosnian War (1992-1995)
The Bosnian War was part of the break-up of Yugoslavia, where ethnic tensions between Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), Serbs and Croats resulted in a bloody conflict. Cities such as Sarajevo were besieged for years, with civilians having to survive without basic services such as electricity, running water or sufficient food. An estimated 100,000 people lost their lives and more than 2 million people were displaced.
Securing basic needs in conflict situations
Water: the first necessity of life
In both the Syrian and the Bosnian crisis, water became a precious commodity. Selco describes how he had to improvise in Bosnia:
“Most of the time I collected water from the roof in 4 large barrels during the war, afterwards we boiled it to disinfect it. We also had a river in that town, too polluted but if you have no choice…”
Survivors from both conflicts emphasise the importance of:
- Multiple ways to collect water (rainwater, natural sources)
- Knowledge of different water purification methods
- Storage capacity for at least several days’ drinking water
- Awareness of water consumption for different purposes
Food security during conflicts
The food shortage often becomes noticeable within a few weeks after the start of a conflict. In Bosnia, supermarket supplies disappeared almost immediately at the first shots. A West African survivor of multiple civil wars recounts:
“Rice was an important staple because it filled you up. We often had it together with something called bulgur wheat.”
Food strategies that proved effective in multiple conflicts:
- Durable basic products that require little fuel to prepare
- Knowledge of local edible plants and alternative food sources
- The skill to preserve food without electricity
- Limited use of cooking smells that may attract attention
- Read in this article how you can preserve food long-term
The Syrian Civil War (2011-…)
The Syrian Civil War began as protests against the regime of President Assad, but quickly escalated into a complex war with international involvement. The war has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths, millions of refugees, and the destruction of large parts of the country. In many areas, basic services completely collapsed, forcing civilians to survive in extreme conditions for years.
Energy and warmth as survival factors
The lack of electricity and heating proved to be an underestimated challenge in both conflicts. Selco describes:
“We stripped every door and every window frame from abandoned houses for heating. I burnt all my own furniture for heating. Many people died from illnesses, especially from bad water.”
Effective strategies for energy and warmth include:
- Alternative heating methods that use little fuel
- Knowledge of improvisation with available materials
- Batteries and LED lighting as essential stock
- Small, portable solar panels or other off-grid energy sources
Discover three portable batteries here
Read more here about which plug-in batteries you can easily survive with.
Safety and community
The power of cooperation
Both conflicts show that surviving alone is virtually impossible. A Liberian survivor from a West African civil war describes it thus: “Unless you participated in the war, you didn’t use much ammunition to be honest. You also didn’t want people to know how many weapons you had, so that you wouldn’t become a target for armed robbers, especially if you were a small group.” A testimony from Bosnia confirms this: “Strength was in numbers. If you were alone in a house, you would probably be robbed and killed, however well armed you were.”
Community building proved crucial, with key elements being:
- Trust within the group
- Clear division of tasks and responsibilities
- Shared vigilance and security measures
- Mutual complementing of skills and knowledge
Mobility and movement during conflicts
How do you move through a dangerous area? According to one of the testimonies, you must never move alone. “2 to 3 people, very quickly, never try to attract attention and look ‘ordinary’: that’s the message.”
“If most people look desperate, poor and dirty, then you must look the same.”
Practical lessons about mobility:
- Stay inconspicuous and avoid drawing attention
- Travel in small groups and avoid predictable routes
- Know alternative routes and hiding places in your area
- Preferably move in the dark, but be prepared
Health and hygiene in crisis circumstances
The collapse of medical facilities had dramatic consequences. The West African survivor recounts:
“Basic necessities were most needed. Coffee, tea and sugar became the biggest trade goods. People who smoked or drank stopped that quickly. If you were drunk or high, you weren’t alert enough for potential attacks.” Selco adds: “A lack of hygienic supplies killed many people, I saw that.”
Essential health strategies:
- Stock of basic antibiotics and painkillers
- Knowledge of first aid and treatment of common conditions
- Attention to sanitary facilities, even in primitive conditions
- Preventive measures against seasonal illnesses
Maintaining psychological wellbeing
An underestimated aspect is the mental impact of a prolonged conflict. “There will be violence. You will ignore it. Explosions are only frightening the first twenty times. You will quickly learn that no tragedy means the end and life always goes on.”
Strategies for mental resilience:
- Maintain daily routines where possible
- Create and cherish moments of normality
- Maintain and strengthen social bonds
- Have realistic expectations about the situation
Economy and trade in conflict areas
Alternative trading systems
In both conflicts, money quickly lost its value. A barter economy emerged, whereby practical items were more valuable than money or gold. Selco recounts how quickly money became worthless. “We bartered things, the black market flourished.” Furthermore, it was also the law of the strongest: “Candles, lighters, antibiotics, fuel, batteries, rifle ammunition and of course food, we fought like animals for that.”
Valuable trade articles proved to be:
- Lighters, matches and other fire-starting items
- Batteries and small electronic devices
- Medicines, especially antibiotics
- Alcohol and cigarettes
- Personal hygiene products
- Small, practical tools
Read an article about gold here:
Preserving value during economic collapse
Hyperinflation destroyed savings in both conflicts. A Syrian survivor shares his experience:
“Welcome to hyperinflation. Have you saved forty thousand dollars? Congratulations, you can now put it away. Do you have property? Do you have investments in the economy? Do you have twenty-five shares in the S&P 500? Go buy sweets for your children, because now the entire economy is worthless.”
Strategies for preserving value:
- Physical possessions with practical value
- Skills that you can trade for goods or services
- Small-scale, mobile stores of value that are easy to hide
- Diversification of possessions and resources
Long-term survival
Adaptability as key to survival
The stories from both conflicts show the importance of flexibility. A West African survivor recounts:
“During those wars, people still held together. They still wanted a sense of community, a sense of normality. Have like-minded allies, even if they’re not part of your immediate group.”
Selco adds: “It wasn’t a survival film, it was ugly, we did what we had to do to survive. Nobody wins, we just survived, with many nightmares.”
Long-term strategies:
- Learn continuously from new circumstances
- Adjust expectations to reality
- Maintain flexibility in plans and supplies
- Develop multiple skills that are useful in different scenarios
The return to normality
Eventually both conflicts ended, although in Syria it was still ongoing. The road back to normal life proved difficult. “After 15 years we have peace, we live with people who were once our enemies. I don’t want war and enemies anymore because of ethnicity or religion or any other reason. We have all suffered and we are all trying to live together again.”
Lessons for the aftermath:
- Common goals can bridge division
- Traumas have long-lasting effects on individuals and communities
- Self-reliance remains important, even after the return of stability
- Documentation of property and identity can be crucial
Conclusion: Universal lessons for self-reliance
The stories from Bosnia and Syria offer valuable insights for anyone who wants to be self-reliant in uncertain times. The key lessons are:
Community comes before individualism – you cannot survive alone. Practical skills and knowledge are more valuable than possessions. The ability to adapt to changing circumstances is crucial. Mental resilience is just as important as physical preparation. And perhaps most importantly: self-reliance begins long before a crisis presents itself.
As Selco says: “I think I now have the strength to do anything necessary to keep myself and my family alive, because if everything collapses, then know for certain that you will do some bad things to save your child. You don’t want to be a hero, you want to survive with your family.”