Relief & Mental Health Services in Syria

7/23/2020

Donor Report – COVID-19 Spending

Since the last report in March 2020 we have so far utilized $5,000 of donations collected on GlobalGiving to give 138 families access to food, clothing, and basic necessities. The uncertainty of the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic means that we need to be responsible with how and when we distribute goods or funding to beneficiaries. We hope that with more and regular financial support we can expand the number of families who receive support in the upcoming months.

The situation

The 2019 offensive into north-eastern Syria by Turkey continues to affect internally displaced people in the region. Infrastructure supporting drinking water and electricity has been destroyed leaving little access to both. In the cities of Qamishli and Amuda most people have on average only four hours of electricity a day. It is in these locations that we have provided the most assistance.

Many of the 138 families that have received direct assistance from this project live in emergency housing. These facilities are converted from public buildings like stadiums and schools and are designed for short-term housing. Due to the current conflicts, IDP’s in these facilities are staying much longer than intended.

How we choose our beneficiaries

With so many families in need of support, our humanitarian workers have chosen to direct our assistance to the poorest families most in need.

Providing assistance directly to families means that our workers have closer relationships with each family and can closely assess their needs. The needs of each family are circumstantial and differ based on the size, ages, and health of family members. Each family has been provided with an average of $36 in total assistance so far. This is enough for 3-4 weeks of food.

The ability to transport goods remains fickle at best, and so money is best spent locally. To make donations go further, each family which is accepted to receive assistance has been given funding to purchase their own food and goods at specific local markets. This way, we can ensure the greatest impact and maintain assurance that the funds are going to food, water and necessities.

Links:

• Like our International Facebook Page
• Visit our website
• Support our Healing Garden for Survivors of Trauma and Violence