After the devastating earthquake on 6th February 2023 (we reported about it), Shelter Now Kurdistan wanted to reach out to people in the Syrian area. There is a big kurdish population in Syria and Northern Iraq, and many of the people we know have personal relationships to Syria or are originally from there.
A team went into Syria on February 12 to provide urgent needs and to do an additional survey. It was difficult to enter Syria and go to some of the Kurdish areas, due to the restrictions of the Syrian government.
The most important needs were food, clothes, baby milk and diapers, kerosine and gas. So on the following visit, the team provided these things. They went to impacted locations of Syria, to churches, malls and schools, wherever people gathered. People from other cities like Aleppo or Latakia went to Damascus, to be away from the epicenter.
Beside the physical help with much needed goods, the team was also able to give training in trauma counselling.
They were able to visit some children centers to encourage the children there. After being in Damascus, the moved on to Latakia, Jableh and to Aleppo, where they witnessed more destruction and helped people, who stayed.
Many people from Latakia lost their homes and their neighbours within seconds. The people were traumatised and their faces looked empty. They were thankful for the help the team could offer.
We thank all of you, who contributed funds to help these desperate people. Until now we were able to spend around 100,000 dollars.
We as Shelter Now Germany work with other implementing partners too and sent a smaller amount also to Turkey. Another partner helps victims in Syria to restore their houses. We continue this work of ours in the future.
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