6 years on from the start of the biggest humanitarian crisis in living memory, the situation is still desperate for the people of Syria. More than 500,000 people have lost their lives and 1.5 million have suffered debilitating injuries. The last 6 years have seen the Syrian people subjected to unimaginable pain and misery.
The Syrian conflict has destroyed the country’s infrastructure and economy, leaving 80% of Syria’s population living in poverty. According to UNOCHA, 5 million Syrians have fled their country due to the violence and another 6.3 million people are currently displaced inside Syria. 4.7 million are currently trapped in besieged or hard to reach areas, and humanitarian aid agencies are struggling to access them to provide life-saving support.
Syria’s health services have continued to deteriorate since the conflict began in 2011. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 65% of all Syrian health workers have fled due to the conflict. 50% Syrian children have not been vaccinated against preventable diseases, and the spread of treatable illnesses has become a major cause for concern. The World Food Programme (WFP) has identified 9 million Syrians as food insecure.
Children are always the worst affected in conflict situations. The children of Syria have endured terrible trauma, losing their family members and living in fear of their lives. 2.8 million Syrian children are currently being denied access to an education, because Syrian schools have been severely damaged or destroyed by violence, or because there simply aren’t the resources for refugee children in their host country.
According to Tanya Chapuisat, a UNICEF Lebanon Representative: “Poverty, social exclusion, insecurity and language barriers are preventing Syrian children from getting an education, leaving an entire generation disadvantaged, impoverished and at risk of being pushed into early marriage and child labor.”
Around 1.4 million Syrians have relocated to nearby Jordan, but their refugee status prevents them from legally working. More than 80% of Syrian refugees live below the local poverty line and cannot provide for themselves or their families. The UN humanitarian appeal for Syrian refugees is not fully funded, meaning that many families receive little or no assistance.
Lebanon has taken in more than 1 million Syrian refugees, and 70% of these refugee households currently live below the local poverty line. A shocking 1 in 4 people in Lebanon is a refugee. The influx of vulnerable people all seeking safety has put massive pressure on Lebanon’s resources, including food, shelter and employment. Around 350,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon are unable to meet minimum survival requirements.
250,000 Syrian refugee children in Lebanon don’t have access to education, leaving them vulnerable to serious protection risks. Even those in school are not guaranteed safety, with Human Rights Watch reporting on the widespread bullying of Syrian refugee children in schools in both Jordan and Lebanon.
It’s estimated that around 3 million refugees are currently living in Turkey, many of them fleeing the violence in Syria. 90% of all these refugees live outside camp settings, where they are exposed to exploitation and have limited access to basic services. At least 2.5 million people are struggling to find food, clean water, fuel and medical care.
We have been on the ground in Syria for 6 years, providing essential aid to some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Thanks to the support of our generous donors, Human Appeal has brought hope to desperate situations and saved thousands of lives through our emergency projects.
We continue to provide 1,000 tonnes of flour each month to 208,000 families in Idlib and Aleppo, allowing them to receive the fresh bread that makes up their staple diet. We distribute 16,500 food parcels each month to internally displaced families in Northern Idlib, and ensure than 15,000 people in western Aleppo have access to safe, clean water every day.
Our work is far from over, and millions of lives are still in grave danger. Just £65 can provide an emergency food parcel for a family trapped in a besieged location, terrified and hungry. Flour for 50 people only costs £100, and can alleviate so much suffering. You can also allocate just £45 to our Syrian medical fund.
You can save a life today.
