The war in Syria continues to rage as it enters its fourth year with no end in sight. The UNHCR estimates that 6.5 million Syrians are displaced within Syria.
Another 3 million Syrian refugees have crossed into neighbouring countries. ACT Alliance members in the region coordinated the humanitarian response within the ACT Jordan/Syria/Lebanon Forum (JSL).
ACT members International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), Finn Church Aid (FCA), Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees of the Middle East Council of Churches DSPR/MECC, and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) have requested funds through an appeal launched in September 2014 which comes to a close at the end of 2014.
Over 20 ACT supporting members have contributed with a total of 8 Million USD to carry out work in various sectors including health, food and NFI, shelter, education and others from which almost 500,000 people in Syria and in the neighbouring countries of Lebanon and Jordan will benefit. A follow-up appeal will be issued at the beginning of 2015.
The DSPR (Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees/Middle East Council of Churches operating in Lebanon as the Joint Christian Committee for Social Service and in Jordan as the DSPR-Jordan
In Lebanon, the JCC started an education program for Syrian and Palestinian refugees from Syria as they were denied entry into Lebanese schools. Last September, JCC began classes for 9th and 12th grade secondary school based on the Syrian curriculum. JCC hired Syrian teachers which also gave jobs to those teachers who were refugees from Syria themselves. They also imported Syrian curriculum schoolbooks.
After nine months of study, the students traveled back to Damascus to take the exam to pass 9th and 12th grade respectively. 64 students went back to Syria to take exams the last two weeks of May. The Director of JCC’s Saida Center, Abu Hussein, personally escorted them through the border with proper visas to be able to return back to Lebanon.
This is no small feat; once Syrian refugees travel back they are usually refused entry again into Lebanon. JCC has a very good reputation with the government and after much work, they were granted permission to bring the students back after the exams. 54 JCC students passed their exams last May and graduated! JCC is the only organization in Lebanon with a program to continue the education of refugees from Syria.Nowar is one of the JCC students who passed her exam in Damascus. She lost two years of schooling due to the conflict, but now has graduated and hopes to attend university.
In Jordan, the DSPR developed and facilitated nine children’s forums, 23 life skills courses, 30 mother support groups, 20 psychosocial sessions and over 1,000 medical referrals. Also, “Start Your Own Business” seminar launched in Talbiah Camp in October.
The goal was to empower women to think beyond their limitations, to build confidence, and to help them generate an income to support their families. There were 26 Syrian women in attendance. During the month of Ramadan, we saw an overwhelming need among the Syrian refugees and distributed food parcels in six different governorates at 8 different distributions events. Over 11,000 Syrians received relief from this monthlong project.
Finn Church Aid (FCA)
FCA provides humanitarian support to the Syrian refugees in Jordan through informal education, recreational and physical activities, and skills training targeting 15-24 year old youths. FCA activities include literacy, numeracy, and English classes; football and circus training; and various recreational activities from cinema to chess.
Additionally, FCA regularly organises events such as circus performances, graduation ceremonies, open day activities and sports tournaments for the beneficiaries. FCA operates in districts 4 and 8 of Za’atari Refugee Camp, King Abdullah Park, and has recently expanded to Azraq Refugee Camp. FCA is also currently preparing to start its operation in host communities in Northern Jordan and East Amman.
Open day event at Finn Church Aid site in Azraq Refugee Camp. Mohammad Smadi/Finn Church Aid
International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)
At present, IOCC has one of the largest aid programs targeting the displaced in Syria and has extensive firsthand knowledge of refugee needs in both Jordan and Lebanon. Since February 2012, IOCC has provided humanitarian assistance in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon to over 2.4 million people affected by the crisis.
Programs in Syria include but are not limited to the following areas: distributions of food & non-food items (NFIs), shelter support, health assistance, education, psychosocial support, water, sanitation, & hygiene (WASH), economic recovery/livelihoods, and Gifts-In-Kind (GiKs).
In Jordan, IOCC is serving Syrian refugees in Za’atari and Azraq refugee camps and vulnerable Jordanian families in the host communities. They have benefited from but not limited to, the following activities: distributions of food and NFIs (both summer and winter), education, health/hygiene awareness campaigns and anti-head lice treatments, life skills program, shelter support, Gifts-In-Kind (GiKs) and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) program.
In Lebanon, IOCC has been responding to the needs of the Syrian refugees since March 2011 by distributing emergency and life-saving commodities, implementing programs that protect and improve the nutrition situation of refugee children, subsidising reproductive health services for pregnant and lactating refugee women, and WASH and shelter rehabilitation projects.
Lutheran World Federation/Dept. for World Service
LWF is running a youth centre in Za'atari Refugee Camp and has carried out a number of projects in host communities including upgrades of over 800 shelters, food voucher distribution, rehabilitation of schools, construction of new classrooms, and a peace-building initiative jointly planned and implemented with Islamic Relief.
LWF Jordan continues to respond to the emergency needs of vulnerable Syrian refugees and Jordanian families during the harsh winter months. Just before Christmas, LWF supported 1,251 families in the northern governates of Irbid and Mafraq by distributing gas heaters, cylinders, cash for gas refills, blankets and carpets.
Muna was one of the 317 beneficiaries we met on Tuesday, the 16th. She crossed the border into Jordan last April together with her husband and their five daughters and two sons and are now living in a flat in Za’atari city.
She is extremely thankful for the items she received: "We won't feel cold anymore, this is the first time we received something." When asked how she heated the house before the assistance, she looked down in embarrassment and said "I couldn’t."
In order to meet their basic needs, Muna and her family started collecting olives from the trees and making hummus to sell in the street. "We are not allowed to work here. At least, like this we earn about 6 JD per day but it is not enough." Their rent for the past two months still needs to be paid and her children need clothes and diapers. Nevertheless, her smile never leaves her face and her strength is incredible. "At least I don't have 13 kids, like Mahmoud" she laughs.