Surviving Syria: 12 years of suffering and endurance

For 12 years, the people of Syria have suffered amid one of the most grave humanitarian crises of our time – and still there is no end in sight.

Syria has the largest number of internally displaced people in the world – 6.8 million individuals, with millions more having fled the country. Today there are more people in need in Syria than at any time since the beginning of the crisis.

– The Syrian crisis spreads across borders, with nearly 5.6 million registered refugees – including more than 2.6 million children – now living in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon and Türkiye

– An astonishing 15.3 million are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance – that is over 70% of Syria’s population

– According to the United Nations, Syria ranks among the 10 most food insecure countries in the world – 12 million people do not know where their next meal is coming from

– Approximately 90% of the country’s population live below the poverty line

– Over 400,000 people have been killed since the crisis began in 2011.

Catastrophic climate-related incidents make life in Syria even more difficult. Drought and flooding have given rise to deadly cholera outbreaks which threaten communities across Syria.

Winter is the most perilous time of year. Many uprooted families are still living in camps scattered across the north, with 2.1 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in last-resort and temporary accommodation. There are 1,400 camps in northwest Syria alone.

Another year of tragedy and loss in Syria

In 2022, Islamic Relief delivered vital programmes that reached over 1 million vulnerable people:

– 14 health facilities given drugs, medical disposables, stipends and training

– Over 73,500 people received Ramadan food parcels while over 125,000 people were given qurbani meat

– Islamic Relief provided lifesaving winter survival items to over 78,000 people facing dire conditions

– We provided 88 schools with stipends so they can pay teachers, and additional funds to buy books, sports equipment, furniture, and repair buildings.

Tragically, 2022 was also the year in which we once more stood in sorrow and solidarity as a spike in violence killed 4 young relatives of an Islamic Relief colleague. All aged under 10 years old, the children were at home in Idlib when the bombs fell just after dawn.

Tragic circumstances made worse

On 6 February 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Turkish city of Gaziantep, close to the Syrian border. This was followed by 7.5 earthquake shortly after, and another 6.4 earthquake a fortnight later.

These are the worst earthquakes to hit Syria in more than 100 years.

They have had a horrific effect on the already fragile Syrian infrastructure, especially in northwest Syria, with over 10 million people affected. Over 10,000 people were recorded as injured, while thousands more lost their lives.

The quakes destroyed nearly 1,500 buildings, with communication networks almost entirely ruined and damaged roads and bridges hindering relief efforts.

Many of those affected have already suffered from years of violent crisis inside Syria. Their plight is now even more dire.