Aiding Syrian refugees

As fighting intensifies and thousands of Syrians flee their country for the relative safety of neighbors like Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey, Mercy Corps is meeting important humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees.

In Jordan, we are working with UNICEF to repair the municipal water systems of two large cities that are home to large numbers of Syrian refugees. This work is expected to increase the availability of water to 400,000 people.

Mercy Corps is also building playgrounds at UN-managed transit camps, and at a new refugee camp, Zaatari, which is intended to house as many as 130,000 refugees.

Mercy Corps is also working closely with UNICEF, UNHCR and the government of Jordan to provide clean drinking water to the Zaatari camp. Mercy Corps is also providing textbooks and supplies to assist Syrian children with their education needs while they are displaced in Jordan.

Starting shortly, we will expand our psychosocial programme to young Syrian refugees on the Lebanon side of the Syria-Lebanon border.

At least 130,000 people have fled Syria for refuge in neighboring countries since the conflict began in March 2011, according to the UN.

Mercy Corps has been working in Syria since 2008, primarily to improve the vocational skills of Iraqi refugees and low-income Syrians. We are working hard to determine how to best overcome the legal and security obstacles to providing humanitarian assistance within Syria. Our staff in the region stands ready to help Syrians in their own country as security and government regulations allow.

We are deeply concerned about the humanitarian impact of this conflict, and hope to see a political solution that ends the violence as soon as possible.

You can support our work with Syrian refugees with a gift to our Humanitarian Response Fund.