The conflict in Syria has led to the largest global refugee and displacement crisis of our time. The month of March 2021 marked ten years since ‘the beginning of the Syrian conflict, ten years in which the lives of many people have been disrupted. In addition, the pandemic from COVID-19 has disrupted the lives of families, is still affecting the mental health of young people, and is pushing more and more people into poverty. Millions of Syrians have fled across borders, fleeing the bombs and bullets that have devastated their homes, more than 6.2 million are internally displaced, and 5.6 million are refugees. As a result of the war, the education of hundreds of thousands of children has been disrupted and access to protective services and health services-including routine vaccinations-has been severely compromised. People living in poor economic and social conditions and vulnerable groups suffer the most from this situation, those who have seen opportunities for a subsistence income or help with their basic needs drastically reduced. Not to mention the living conditions in Syria’s refugee camps, an attempt to survive in even worse living conditions.
So the overall situation in Syria is really complicated, particularly in Aleppo. Most Syrians, impoverished by ten years of war and the pandemic, can no longer make ends meet, and about 90 percent of people are living below the poverty line and need support to be able to survive.
AIM OF THE PROJECT:
As part of this initiative, two types of baskets were distributed that included spaghetti, tomato paste, sugar, olive oil, cooking oil, butter and cheese. Larger baskets were distributed to large families with many children.
Since the beginning of the war, the Blue Marists have carried out 15 programs, some aid and some development and education projects, and have expanded their outreach to include, in addition to the poorest families, hundreds of displaced Christian and Muslim families. They are the ones in charge of project management and are responsible for implementing planned activities and providing the necessary resources. FMSI has more than 14 years of experience working in the field of International Solidarity and, inspired by Marist spirituality and the charism of St. Marcellin Champagnat, will continue to support the Blue Marists in the implementation of projects that can help families and people living in difficult conditions.
THE PROJECT IN BRIEF:
The pandemic meant that living conditions deteriorated very quickly, in a country where 90 percent of the population lives in poverty. The “Feed the children” project was funded by Misean Cara and made it possible to organize a distribution of food parcels for 1,000 families in Aleppo, selected from among the most vulnerable and needy: displaced families, extended families with many children, widows and widowers, and orphans.
THE PROJECT IN NUMBERS:
- 1,000 families received food baskets
- 4,800 beneficiaries