The situation in Syria has drastically shifted in recent days as rebels seized the capital Damascus and toppled the government, following 13 years of civil war and the largest displacement crisis in the world. Recent events have led to the additional displacement of an estimated 1 million people, bringing the number of displaced people to more than 8 million.
According to CARE’s rapid assessment within our areas of operation, people who have fled from their homes urgently need food, hygiene kits, water, winter clothes, and emergency shelter. Many displaced women and girls also face protection risks. This compounds an existing crisis, with 16.7 million people already needing aid (pre-escalation). In addition to meeting immediate needs, strategic planning for the recovery of displaced families is vital over the longer term.
CARE began operating in Syria in 2013 to provide life-saving emergency assistance to people affected by the civil war. In 2023, CARE and our 17 partners supported more than 3.5 million people inside Syria, as well as Syrian refugees and host communities in neighboring Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon. We are currently ramping up to meet the escalating needs. Delivering ready-to-eat food, safe water, essential sanitation and hygiene support, and emergency shelter will help families endure harsh winter conditions. And, as a dual mandate organization focused on meeting both immediate and longer-term needs, CARE is also prioritizing economic recovery and sustained access to safe water for families as they start returning to their areas of origin both in Syria and outside the country.
With a proven track record of leading large-scale, locally led, high-impact programming, CARE brings exceptional capacity and expertise to crisis management and longer-term recovery and resilience.
CARE’s immediate response to this recent displacement includes:
Northwest Syria
o Supporting five existing reception centers with urgent water and sanitation services.
o Providing multi-purpose cash assistance to families.
o Bringing in ready-to-eat food, hygiene kits, and other non-food items from Turkey to northwest Syria to distribute to families.
o Mobilizing protection teams at reception centers to support recently arrived families.
o Preparing temporary shelter solutions.
o Working with partners to establish ambulance referral systems to provide health and first aid services to displaced families.
Northeast Syria
o Distributing food to newly arrived families at 12 reception centers.
o Providing water, hygiene kits, and sanitation support at seven sites.
o Providing winter supplies to families and warm clothes to children at 10 sites. This support is expected to sustain thousands of families over the next six months.
CARE urgently seeks $10.5 million to fund our immediate response and recovery positioning efforts. Moreover, we plan to expand our efforts to support the large numbers of people displaced during the civil war, who we anticipate will start returning to their areas of origin both in Syria and outside the country. We are working with partners to ensure a coordinated approach to supporting returnees as the situation becomes clearer in the coming months. Over the longer term, helping families recover will be our priority. Thank you for considering a generous contribution to the Syria Response Fund.
