Syrian Refugee Crisis

Written by Kinan Diab    Friday, 25 March 2016 06:49

 In June 2015, Ahmad, and his twin sister Rasha, aged 6, fled Syria with their parents for the Turkish border town of Akcakale. They left behind a lovely duplex house, all of their belongings and the life they had always known. Ahmad describes how much he misses his red bike, the one he had just learned to ride without training wheels. Rasha, on the other hand, misses watching Sponge Bob Square Pants on TV in the morning while eating breakfast. Ahmad interrupts “I prefer Tom & Jerry.”

Since arriving in Turkey, the family has been living in basic accommodation and struggling to make ends meet. Many other families are facing similar difficulties. In June 2015 alone, many thousands of Syrians fled to safety across the border into southern Turkey.

In July 2015, World Vision began partnering with Turkish NGO, International Middle East Peace Research (IMPR), in order to respond to some of the needs faced by recent refugee arrivals.

Kits for babies and young children containing diapers, baby powder, baby shampoo and wet wipes, among other items, were provided by World Vision to IMPR, whose team of volunteers and staff distributed them to vulnerable families, such as Ahmad and Rasha’s.

Although Ahmad and Rasha are not babies, the items were very helpful for their family. Sadly, the children have been wetting the bed, a symptom of high-levels of stress and anxiety in their lives. Their mother was particularly grateful to receive diapers which can protect her young family and provide them with some dignity during this difficult time.

The Syrian conflict is now entering its sixth year. During that time at least 250,000 people have been killed, with some independent Syrian organisations citing upwards of 450,000, among them up to 19,000 children. Approximately 11 million people have been forced from their homes.

World Vision began responding to the needs of displaced children and families in and around Syria in 2011 through its existing presence in vulnerable communities across Lebanon. Since then, World Vision’s Syria Crisis Response has expanded to include five countries: Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey.

Millions of children are facing challenges children should not have to face - missing out on school, working as child labourers and girls vulnerable to early marriage. A generation of children is at risk of being lost to the impact of this conflict.

Since 2011, World Vision has helped over 2.37 million refugees, displaced people and vulnerable host community members. Last year 1.1 million people - among them 630,000 children – were supported.  Food assistance, emergency supplies, water and sanitation, health, education and child protection interventions reached children and families in need.

 SUMMARY OF KEY INTERVENTIONS IN EACH SYRIA CRISIS RESPONSE COUNTRY IN 2015

 World Vision’s Syria Crisis Response has offices in Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Jordan, with cross-border operations from Turkey into Syria. A regional response team, based in Jordan, provides technical advice, oversight and resource management.

  Lebanon: Cash programming through e-cards; municipal repairs and direct household support on water and sanitation; supporting children through educational and psychosocial programmes

  Syria: Sustainable water and sanitation solutions, psychosocial support for children; household and winter items; hygiene kits and baby kits; filling gaps in fractured health-care services

Turkey: First distribution to refugees in July 2015 (baby kits)

  Jordan: School, extracurricular and psychosocial activities for children of all backgrounds; drainage, water supply system and sanitation facilities in refugee camps; water, sanitation and hygiene facilities rehabilitated in schools in host communities

  Iraq: Food assistance; drilling boreholes and upgrading water treatment plants; fixed and mobile clinics in areas with no health care; informal and alternative learning opportunities for children; women’s centre to protect women and girls from violence

  Regional response team: Concerted advocacy for children in emergencies; centralised Response-wide system for monitoring, evaluation, evidence and learning