Give Support to 800 Syrian Refugee Families

Boundless need - sparks of hope in Jordan

Jordan is one of the countries particularly affected by the Syrian refugee crisis. More than 655,000 refugees from Syria are registered in Jordan. According to United Nations estimates, there are about 139,000 more people who are not registered. The majority of the refugees live outside the two large official camps Za´atri and Azraq in host communities. In addition, there are about 78,000 Syrians who are in no-man's-land between Syria and Jordan and hope to cross the border.

Many refugees have been in Jordan for six years now. They couldn't take much with them from their homeland and their savings have long since been used up. Only a few have a work permit and the rental costs are high. That is why most refugees depend on humanitarian aid to meet their basic needs. Their life situation is becoming increasingly precarious. Although the borders are effectively closed and Syrians are barely coming, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the refugees living in the country to finance the expensive life in Jordan. In their desperation, more and more refugees are considering returning to Syria or embarking on a life-threatening journey to Europe.

Diseases caused by cold weather

The bad and especially in winter completely inadequate housing situation often leads to illness. Mould in the walls, inadequate hygiene and lack of insulation often cause respiratory infections, diarrhoea and fever, especially in children. In winter, many households are not prepared for the icy temperatures and snowfall. There is a lack of warm blankets, clothing and heating material.

Together with our partner International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) in Jordan, we are carrying out a project that helps particularly needy Syrian refugee families and Jordanian host families to survive the winter and improve their livelihoods. A total of 220 families receive electronic vouchers, which they can exchange for blankets, winter clothing or heating material as required. In addition, "cash for rent" supports 120 families in renting for three months. Some needy families also receive building materials to repair their makeshift shelters and protect them from the cold.

Vocational trainings

To give families a perspective and a livelihood, refugees can also participate in vocational training in an IOCC centre. Various basic technical skills are taught, for example for employment as a bricklayer, plumber or electrician. With this knowledge, the refugees can increase their chances of earning their own income.

Your donations  make our work possible. Please continue your support.

Thank you so much, yours

Michael Tuerk

Dear donors,

Do you know Rawa Khadi?

Her husband's family owned a sweets factory in Mosul/Irac. In June 2014, they had to flee from Mosul. With us, the 28-year-old completed an apprenticeship as a pastry chef and got an oven. She advertised her baked goods, actively approached people and started her own business with a small business. The business is doing well. The family was able to move from a barrack to a small house.

This is only one example of self generating income  we support. We often find that people do not need much to be able to stand on their own two feet again.

But we also note that tensions between host communities and refugees and internally displaced persons are increasing. There are few jobs, social services are overburdened and basic services are not enough for everyone. In addition, Northern Iraq is struggling with an economic crisis due to oil price collapse and disputes with the central government in Baghdad. Many officials have not paid salaries for months.

A return of the refugees is not in sight. The humanitarian situation is worsening daily and about 8.6 million people depend on basic, life-saving assistance. The situation shows how necessary our projects are.

So we are urgently depended on donations to continue our helping activities

We support needy people with food and hygiene vouchers. With these people can do self-determined buyings and they decide what they need. In addition, we closely monitor the developments in Iraq, so that we can be prepared to provide timely assistance in the event of further displacement.

It would be great if you follow our mission to bring Syrian refugees relief in their difficult situation.

Yours

Michael Tuerk

Since the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) moved forward in June 2014, 3.3 million people were displaced within the Iraqi border. Most of them have sought protection in the autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq. In the Kurdish regions are living more than 242,000 registered refugees from Syria. Finally, the long-contested city of Mossul, the last high castle of the IS in Iraq, was recaptured by the Iraqi troops and their allies. But the crisis is far from over: at least eleven million people depend on humanitarian aid in Iraq.

How we help

We support both the Syrian refugees as well as the internally displaced persons in Nordirak with food and hygiene packages as well as psychosocial aid. In the context of so-called "cash for work" measures, we also help families get an income. The beneficiaries work in public institutions and in municipalities - for example, when renovating school buildings or in health stations. For this, they are rewarded on a daily basis.

In order to facilitate the integration of incoming families, childcare, counseling and courses are offered in the community centers. The playful and therapeutic activities help children overcome trauma. Language courses, English classes, literacy and computer courses assist the refugees in qualifying on the labor market. The psychological measures reduce the long-term negative consequences of the experience: addiction, violence against women and children as well as crime is pre-determined, the mental health of the people strengthened. The course leaders have mostly escaped themselves and can put themselves well into their proteges. In psychological trainings they have learned how to best serve the children, young people and adults.

Hope, hope, hope

In order to provide people with long-term income opportunities and thus prospects, the sustainability of the projects is already being taken into account in the analysis of needs. Through market analyzes, we can identify the demand for certain goods and services in the target cities and, in cooperation with local authorities and companies, develop economic approaches that continue after the end of the project period. In this way, refugees are integrated into the labor market and society in the long term.

A lot of work is still to be done. With your supoort we can make it, we can create a change in the life of this people.

Thank you so much!

Yours

Michael Tuerk

About 90 per cent of the 3 million refugees in Turkey live in temporary housings, rented accommodation or friends and relatives. Life outside the camps is not very favorable: the rents in the refugee areas are now far above the average and are usually prohibitive for the Syrian families. People who are seeking shelter outside the camps in the provinces of Hatay, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Batman or in Istanbul will receive little support from the Turkish government. The average monthly income for a family is around 113 euros. According to this, the majority of the refugees lives below the poverty line. About half of the refugees are children, especially with them the experience has left partly severe trauma.

The refugee families, who have to handle  with few money income, often try to borrow a loan as a short-term solution and are in debt. Many of them sell their latest valuables, such as for example wedding rings, to ensure the basic supply. The cost of school education for their children the partents also save in order to have sufficient reserves for the daily needs of food and hygiene articles. Partially, parents refuse meals to have enough food for their children. The majority of refugees already have signs of malnutrition.

Since 2012 we have been active in Turkey in cooperation with our partner Support to Life (STL). In  2015 and 2016 we were able to support refugees with electronic money cards (e-cards) in the province of Sanliurfa in the east of the country. The project was aimed at Syrian and Iraqi refugees as well as host families. The beneficiaries were previously selected according to need and then received a money card for three months. This was charged monthly with 62 Turkish Lira per person. That is about 18 euros. A six-headed household could thus receive 372 lira, converted 110 euros, to cover its basic food needs.

to provide further families we are urgently dependent on support. Thank's so much for your accompaniment of our work. Please support us furthermore with your donation.

Yours

Michael Tuerk

My name is Widad. I'm 45 years old and come from the Syrian city of Afrin near Aleppo. Two years ago, i fled with my husband from the Civil War in Syria. The situation came to a head. No one was sure who to trust. Rebels kidnapped two of my siblings in Lebanon. Till this day i have no sign of them. That makes me cry.

One of my brothers lived in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil and advised me to flee with my family. First we were one night in the camp near Dohuk, then we fled further towards Suleymaniah. Now we live in Bazyan, a place with about 3.000 inhabitants. My husband has found work as a driver. Our sons, 14 and 20 years old, also work - so our family can get by. It's not fair that my son can not go to school. But without his income from the sale of bread and coffee, we can not survive.

I know from my own experience how important education is: i come from a family with twelve children. I did not have time to read and write at that time - and it was not considered necessary that ie learn this as a girl. Now i have taken a reading and writing course in the community center, which has established the partner organization of the Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe for Syrian refugees and displaced persons. Now I'm proud to communicate with my relatives at least via WhatsApp.

In addition, the center helped me to find social contacts. I'm going along well with the other women in the class. We meet up till today. Sometimes we cry together about what we've lost. But together we also go to the bazaar.  Although my husband Faisal is very liberal, it is not possible for women to move outside the house alone. That's why it was so important that the community center picked us up with a bus. The center fulfills various tasks: in addition to reading and writing courses, language and sewing courses are offered for women. It is also important that the women can break out of their "imprisonment" in the house for a moment and make new contacts.

Widad and her family is one on the recipients of our Syria relief. Thank you we can help in Syria and the surrounding countries which are affected by the war in Syria. I'm greatful to have you on our side.

Yours

Michael Tuerk