Syrian Refugee Relief Fund

Since 2011, nearly 6 million individuals have left their homes in Syria to seek shelter in surrounding countries. Thanks to the generous support of nearly 10,000 GlobalGivers, we have been able to raise $1,857,797 to help families gain access to vital resources in the face of what many call the greatest humanitarian crisis of our lifetime.

Lebanon hosts more than a million of these displaced individuals. Approximately 70 percent of refugees in Lebanon live below the poverty line and typically share undersized, overcrowded spaces with other refugee families. Below is an update on the work our partners are doing specifically to engage Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Half of the refugees residing in Lebanon are under the age of 18. As a result of poverty and discrimination, most of the children lack access to any type of schooling. With your support, the Insan Association is providing children ages four to 16 with access to education at Insan School as well as psycho-social support. Project Leader Lala S. Arabian says their work at the Insan School also “aims to help the children acquire the necessary skills to surmount the obstacles to their integration in the Lebanese school system and, consequently, into Lebanese society.” Likewise, the school provides necessary social support to Syrian refugee children and their families. 

Of all the challenges refugees face, women and girls have some particularly difficult obstacles to overcome. According to our nonprofit partner Developmental Action without Borders/Naba'a, the lack of access to proper clothing, underwear, and feminine hygiene products not only leads to infections, but also to discrimination. Since women lack rights to housing, they are wholly dependent on their family for security, even in situations of domestic and gender-based violence. As an immediate response to these issues, Naba’a’s project, Dignity for displaced women and girls in Lebanon, is providing much-needed clothing and sanitary items. 

For a long-term solution, Naba’a recognizes the important role education plays in an individual’s ongoing safety and independence. Currently, Naba’a is addressing this need through creating a girl’s advocacy committee that is working with the Lebanese municipalities to establish free and compulsory primary education. Naba’a has also been able to host 220 educational and awareness workshops for adolescent girls on topics such as decision making, the importance of education, and awareness of particular risks like domestic and sexual abuse. Lastly, Naba’a was able to target 986 Syrian refugee women with health services and drop-in clinics, as well as sensitizing nearly 10,000 individuals across Lebanon on sexual and gender-based violence.

The Syrian Refugee Relief Fund has also been instrumental in providing support to our partners assisting Syrian refugees in Greece. IsraAID is working in Sindo, a suburb of Thessaloniki that hosts a large Syrian refugee camp. IsraAID recently celebrated the one year anniversary of the opening of the Sindo Community Center which was created to provide holistic care and educational services for refugees. The SCC not only provides basic care items such as hygiene kits and heating packages, but also provides professional development courses that include English and Greek classes, skill-building sessions, and IT training. IsraAID reports that more than 70 refugees take advantage of the center’s workshops each day.

Thank you for generously supporting community-led relief efforts that assist individuals affected by the Syrian refugee crisis. In the upcoming months, we'll continue reporting on how your donations are helping to provide relief for vulnerable Syrian refugees.

With Gratitude,

Claire Hilton + the GlobalGiving Team

In a briefing to the United Nations Security Council late last month, leaders from UNOCHA reported that "the scale of the humanitarian challenges facing the people of Syria remains staggering by any measure. International support for efforts to respond to the needs of millions of Syrians remains critical." The numbers bear this out: More than half of all Syrians have been displaced by war. 5.6 million have fled the country as refugees, and another 6.6 million have been forced to leave their homes behind but remain in Syria.

Your generous support has funded a wide range of vetted GlobalGiving nonprofit partners throughout the Mediterranean region who are providing support and relief to Syrian refugees, some of whom are now approaching nine years away from their homeland. Since our last update, we have new reports of progress to share from our partners assisting refugees in Greece, Jordan, Lebanon, Serbia, and Turkey.

Personal safety is a serious concern for women refugees, whether they're living in dangerously overcrowded camps or unfamiliar cities where they may encounter hostility to their presence. The Starfish Foundation, based on the Greek island of Lesvos where roughly 7,000 refugees currently reside, is addressing this issue by offering self-defense classes tailored to Syrian women.  

We Need Books is launching a free, six-month Greek language program to help Syrian refugees living in Greece acclimate to their new home. Since the Greek government provides support for language learning to those who are under 18, We Need Books is focused on helping adults learn the language. The course is accompanied by monthly cultural activities to further help students become more comfortable in Greek society.

Turkey is home to 3.5 million Syrian refugees—more than any other country. More than 90% of refugees in Turkey are living in non-camp settlements where, due to their refugee status, maintaining a steady source of income can be extremely difficult. To address this common challenge, Turkish NGO Hayata Destek Dernegi is launching a new "Makers Shop" in their community center in Istanbul that will offer a six-month textile-making course, along with a stipend to supplement learners' incomes while they're developing their new skills.

Fleeing the violence in your homeland is a traumatic experience yet mental health services can be difficult to access for refugees. Three of our partners are working to help refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon, and Serbia heal from the trauma they've endured.

With support from GlobalGivers, the International Humanistic Psychology Association is expanding their Refugee Women and Girl’s Safe Space project to additional sites throughout Jordan. The program provides trauma recovery treatment, medical health screenings, parenting skills workshops, and a range of activities designed to restore self-confidence and self-esteem.

At sites in northern Lebanon and northern Jordan, the International Association for Human Values has developed an integrated strategy for addressing the mental health needs of refugee children and the adults who care for and teach them. They're providing a series of workshops for youth focused on stress and trauma relief and resilience, as well as their Youth Anti-Violence and Peace Ambassadors program, which works to empower youth with the values, skills, and tools to become leaders in violence prevention and peacebuilding on their school campuses and in their communities.

And finally, in Serbia, local NGO Pomoc Deci is offering psychosocial support programs for Syrian refugees, along with programs aimed at educating refugee youth about how to avoid human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.  

Your donation and those of thousands of other GlobalGivers who've raised more than $1.84 million for our Syrian Refugee Relief Fund have helped make these stories of hope and progress possible. Thank you for your generosity, and for choosing to support community-led organizations responding to this ongoing crisis with your donation to this fund.

With gratitude,
Will + the GlobalGiving Team