Syria five years on
March 15 marked the 5 year anniversary of the beginning of the Syria conflict. In the years since it began, the conflict in Syria has created the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. And it’s civilians – women, children and men who are suffering the most. Mothers, fathers and small children who’d been living normal lives and then suddenly lost everything – their homes, belongings, people they love – and found themselves strangers in a foreign country, cold, hungry and alone.
Thanks to the generous support of many compassionate people, Act for Peace has been able to support Syrian refugees who have sought safety in Jordan. These are families living among the local population. Squashed into basements, rooms, or whatever accommodation they can find, these urban refugee ‘camps’, are mostly concrete slums on the edges of towns. We prioritise the people living here because they’re harder to reach and receive less support than those in living the big refugee camps, like Zaatari.
 Caption: Most of our work on the ground in Jordan – distributing rations, running training - is done by caring volunteers, who are often refugees themselves. Credit: Ben Littlejohn/Act for Peace |
Act for Peace always works through local partner organisations. Organisations set-up and run by people who come from the communities where they work. They speak the language, they understand the culture, and they’re well trusted. Our local partner in Jordan has been working with refugees there for many years. Most of our work on the ground – distributing rations, running training - is done by volunteers, mainly refugees themselves. This is important, not only because it saves money and ensures aid reaches the people who need it most, but because it gives refugees the power to help their own communities.
Find out more:
Read our annual report online to find out more about how Act for Peace is working with passionate people in Australia and around the world to achieve safety, justice and dignity for those in conflict and disaster affected areas.
