"Islamic Relief" Reveals the Evolution of Humanitarian Work Strategy in Syria

SadaNews - Despite the transformation that Syria is undergoing today after decades of conflict, the scale of humanitarian needs in Syria remains very high, varying from education and healthcare to water and energy.

The enormous humanitarian needs in Syria have led to a radical shift in the means and strategies of humanitarian organizations. Initially, interventions focused on emergency responses such as food and shelter, but organizations have gradually begun to adopt an "early recovery" approach aimed at rehabilitating infrastructure and providing sustainable solutions.

In light of declining international funding and increasing field challenges, international humanitarian organizations like "Islamic Relief Worldwide" are working to develop sustainable solutions that help affected communities overcome harsh conditions, focusing on clean energy as a lifeline for essential facilities.

Mohammed Al-Rubae, the Program Director of Islamic Relief in Syria, states, "The organization’s vision is based on the transition from mere emergency response to a stage of early recovery and sustainable development."

He added that they are simultaneously working on several projects that include health, water, education, and sanitation, in addition to a solar energy project to operate water stations, aiming to provide clean and sustainable drinking water in conflict and disaster-affected areas.

Al-Rubae emphasizes that the decline in international support for Syria and the current concentration of assistance in central areas sometimes diverts aid away from camps housing over a million displaced persons, especially with the arrival of winter.

Service Projects

The organization’s director stated that "Islamic Relief in Syria focuses on supporting primary health centers and emergency medical initiatives, including mobile operating rooms to provide medical services to affected and remote areas."

According to Al-Rubae, the organization has carried out over 800 open-heart surgeries for free in Idlib province, in addition to a prosthetics and physical therapy center in the same city, which provides advanced upper and lower prosthetics, using modern technologies such as 3D printing and manufacturing prosthetic limbs, where more than 400 limbs have been made and fitted so far.

The organization also places special importance on sanitation and water projects - according to Al-Rubae - affirming that they aim to provide clean water and sanitation services to ensure public health and reduce the spread of diseases.

Al-Rubae added that their interventions in this field include:

Establishing solar-powered water stations to provide clean and sustainable drinking water in affected areas.

Drilling and equipping wells with pumps and generators to ensure water flow.

Installing and maintaining water transmission networks and lines to deliver water directly to homes and camps.

Rehabilitating sewage networks and improving wastewater management systems.

Investing in sustainable solutions and modern technologies to ensure service continuity and reduce operational costs.

While Syria currently suffers from around 2.5 million children being out of the education system - according to the United Nations - along with the difficult conditions of schools that have turned into shelters due to internal displacement movements, "Islamic Relief" has rehabilitated and restored 59 schools across the provinces of Hama, Aleppo, and Idlib, according to the head of the organization in Syria.

In this regard, the organization’s program director added to Al Jazeera Net that they encourage the most vulnerable groups to return to school "focusing on girls and children who have dropped out of education, through awareness campaigns and child protection programs."

Regarding efforts to enhance food security, Al-Rubae states that they aim to strengthen food security for the most affected families through:

Providing subsidized bread for vulnerable families to ensure they receive basic food.

Repairing damaged bakeries and increasing their production capacity through modern production lines.

Building entirely new bakeries in areas lacking services.

There are 35 bakeries currently under assessment to provide the necessary service across the provinces of Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, Homs, Damascus, its countryside, and Deir Ezzor.

Al-Rubae continues his discourse with Al Jazeera Net stating, "Islamic Relief believes that empowering and protecting women is essential to building a stable and cohesive society, which is why we adopt integrated programs starting with providing psychological and social support to women and girls to cope with trauma, and offering assistance and protection to those who have experienced violence, alongside economic empowerment programs that train women and provide them with necessary materials to establish small income-generating projects."

In this same context, the orphans and family sponsorship project is highlighted, where the organization is currently sponsoring 1,748 orphans, providing monthly sponsorship for some widows, in addition to organizing periodic activities and distributing gifts to the orphans.

Financial Challenges

Regarding the challenges related to humanitarian work and its sustainability, the organization’s program director clarifies that the main challenge lies in the decline in international support directed towards Syria, which has been confirmed by several UN reports, threatening the continuity of projects. Additionally, rising prices and loss of purchasing power significantly increase pressure on available resources.

Al-Rubae points out that the problem is not limited to resource shortages, but is exacerbated by the numerous destroyed roads, bridges, and networks of water and electricity, increasing the difficulty and cost of delivering aid and services.

He adds that the increase in natural factors - such as fires, floods, and drought - complicates aid distribution and emergency plans, in addition to the multiplicity of donor agencies in the same areas leading to duplicated efforts and difficulty in coordination.

Al-Rubae emphasizes that a critical part of recovery lies in empowering women and generating income, and supporting community initiatives to enhance protection concepts and monitor cases of violence, noting that the success of these plans is conditional on "enhancing cooperation with government agencies and the local community to ensure the effectiveness of humanitarian work."

Source: Al Jazeera