Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in a civil war which to date has claimed more than 230,000 civilians. The destruction of Syria’s economy and society means that today, 90% of its population lives in poverty. Here are five charities operating in Syria currently working to change this.

5 Charities Operating in Syria

1.  Syrian Arab Red Crescent: Founded in 1942 and admitted into the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 1946, the organization supports the victims of conflict in Syria. In 2022 alone, in collaboration with the ICRC, the organization helped repair vital infrastructure that war destroyed. This included giving 16.5 million people improved access to clean water, and 447,000 better reach to health care services.
2. Islamic Relief Worldwide: The faith-based organization, Islamic Relief Worldwide, is one of the largest operating in Syria today. Its program includes distributing food aid, supporting social services and assisting refugees who have moved beyond Syria. Since 2012, more than 3 million people have received food packages through Islamic Relief’s Ramadan and Qurbani distributions.
3. Save the Children: War has left 2.5 million school-aged children out of school, and a further 1.6 million at risk of dropping out. Save the Children are providing temporary learning pathways, to ensure Syrian children receive the quality education needed for them to ultimately re-enter formal education opportunities. It also works with community members to enhance knowledge about child protection and strengthen community-based systems.
4. Christian Aid: Another faith-based charity, Christian Aid has been operating in the country since 2015. It played a key role in the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to distribute more than 8,000 hygiene kits to camps in the northwest of the country. Alongside this, it has worked with the European Union on a project: “Creating Alternative Futures: educating Syrian adolescents.” This has involved setting up four community centers as safe spaces for young people through education, psychological support and community involvement.
5. International Rescue Committee (IRC): More than half of all Syrians are displaced from their homes, making Syria the world’s largest displacement crisis. With teams in both Syria and the neighboring countries of Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, the International Rescue Committee has been able to reach close to 1.2 million people. Its work has included training health workers to manage cholera and COVID-19 outbreaks, as well as creating safe spaces for women and girls who have been victims of trauma and violence.

Looking Ahead

 While the Syrian civil war has had a destructive effect on its population, these charities operating in Syria have been working hard to improve the lives of ordinary Syrians. With current UN estimates suggesting that 13.1 million Syrians are in need of assistance, its work will continue to be vital moving forward. 

– Jack Arrowsmith
Photo: Flickr