As the world came to grips with COVID-19 being declared a pandemic, a sad anniversary unassumingly passed – the people of Syria have now been living under dire humanitarian circumstances for the past 9 years.
Since the commencement of the war, over 12 million people have fled their homes– many fleeing repeatedly in search of a safe place in a country devastated by conflict. 11.7 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian aid and 6.5 million people live in poverty, having exhausted any savings they were able to bring and often facing limited opportunities to earn a living./p>
There is still no sign of an end to the violence that has torn families apart and shattered lives and futures. From the beginning of this conflict, women and children remain the most vulnerable. A generation of children know nothing but war. 1 in 3 schools have been damaged or destroyed, over 1000 camps in Northern Syria, camps have become overcrowded and there is no room for newly displaced families.
In the face of conflict, medical facilities have been targeted and destroyed, medical staff work under immense pressure with an influx of patients and limited medical resources to meet their needs.
This is Syria entering its tenth year of conflict and human suffering.
Inspired by the resilience of the Syrian people, Islamic Relief is doing all we can to help people in need. Since 2011, Islamic Relief has invested over R6 billion in saving lives in Syria. In 2019 Islamic Relief delivered over R 600 million in aid, reaching over 2 million people inside Syria.
Our teams are on the ground providing healthcare, food, education, water and sanitation, skills training to help families earn a living. In winter, when families face harsh conditions, we distribute beds, tents, blankets, clothes for children, heating equipment and food for hundreds of thousands of people. Islamic Relief supports over 80 medical facilities and funds over 150 medical staff. When medical facilities are under attack, Islamic Relief funds mobile operating units to help staff on the road.
Islamic Relief is one of the few international non-governmental organisations still working on the ground amidst the escalation of violence.
We have done as much as we could with the help of generous donors, but as time goes on, more needs to be done. Their suffering continues.
Donate now and help us continue to save lives in Syria.
