Syrian Refugee Relief Fund

While there has been more discussion recently about a limited return of refugees to their homes in Syria, April's chemical attack in Douma and the resulting airstrikes demonstrate the significant risks still facing civilians in the country. 6.6 million Syrians are now internally displaced, and another 5.6 million have fled their homeland in search of a haven from the years-long conflict, according to the U.N. High Commission on Refugees.

Your support continues to make a difference in the lives of Syrian refugees now spread across the globe. More than 9,000 GlobalGivers like you have raised $1.7 million to support 62 vetted nonprofits assisting refugees in 13 countries.

Since our last update in March, your donations have supported the work for these four projects helping refugees in Greece, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom:

Emfasis Foundation’s PhotoTherapy project in Athens is offering refugee children the opportunity to freely express their thoughts and feelings, deal with trauma, socialize by participating in group activities, and receive the psychological support they need. The children's photos are also traveling around the world, highlighting the real problems facing refugees through the eyes of children.

Lighthouse Relief's team on the Greek island of Lesvos has assisted 1,054 new refugee arrivals since the beginning of 2018, nearly double the number who arrived over the same timeframe in 2017. Lesvos is currently home to more than 7,000 refugees, and while that figure continues to rise more NGOs have been leaving the island, resulting in Lighthouse Relief's team being the only group helping new refugee arrivals on the island's north shore.

In Lebanon, a large majority of refugees live outside the capital in Beirut and are unable to access humanitarian help or essential services. INSAN Foundation operates a bus which brings their diverse team of psychologists, doctors, social workers, and animators to camps on capital's outskirts to find emergency solutions to the problems facing refugees and provide holistic support for children and families. They were recently able to expand their reach and now regularly visit and serve five refugee camps throughout the Bekaa Valley.

All too often, Syrian refugees arriving in Europe to seek sanctuary are experiencing a range of human rights violations and inhumane living conditions. Refugee Rights Europe visits refugee camps and communities in France, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere to document exactly what is happening, present their reports to government officials and media members across the continent, and then advocate for the protection of human rights of all refugees living in Europe.

I also wanted to let you know about an upcoming opportunity to double your impact for GlobalGiving partners assisting refugees worldwide. In recognition of World Refugee Day on June 20th, we will be matching donations 100% to projects helping refugees of all kinds, from all countries, while our $100,000 in matching funds remain. Donations to this relief fund won't be matched, but all the projects this fund has supported will be. Watch your inbox on June 20th for an email with recommended projects to support!

Thank you again for your generous support of the Syrian Refugee Relief Fund, and for making the smart choice to donate money to fund a community-led response to the ongoing refugee crisis.

Warmly,
Will Frechette + the GlobalGiving Team

There’s been much discussion in recent months about whether governments like Lebanon’s would force Syrian refugees to return to home. Humanitarian and aid agencies warn that Syria is not yet safe enough for the return of its refugees.

While the United States and wealthy European nations are criticized for showing a lack of solidarity with the region, GlobalGiving donors like you demonstrate unwavering support for those who’ve fled violence and persecution in Syria, only to encounter life-threatening conditions in countries where they’d hoped for a safe haven.

Last spring, we invited our nonprofit partners to propose how disaster funds could support their long-term relief projects serving Syrian refugees. Because we trust that our partners know how to best serve their communities, long-term GlobalGiving grants often address specific gaps in funding that other philanthropic or government institutions may overlook.

We have since sent 73 new relief grants to our partners across the Middle East and Europe. In Lebanon specifically:

• Insan Association is providing psychosocial support to marginalized refugee children;
• Days for Girls International is delivering washable menstrual hygiene kits to women and girls; and
• International Association for Human Values is focusing on healing and nonviolent empowerment for children living in city-center apartments who are experiencing the effects of tensions with their host community.

Lebanon’s prime minister, Saad Hariri, announced last month that his country will continue to provide refuge to Syrians in Lebanon. So too will GlobalGiving continue to work with our dedicated project leaders to identify and fund the ever-changing consequences of the ongoing Syrian conflict throughout the region. Thank you for your generous support that’s made this work possible.

Warmly,
Courtney Eskew + the GlobalGiving Team