Earlier this week members of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) group were among those killed during an attack on a convoy bringing relief to the city of Aleppo. Here we look at the critical work the organisation’s volunteers do every single day.
Aleppo and its surrounding area has seen much of the fighting in Syria over the past five years. For the Aleppo branch of SARC, run mostly by young volunteers who have given up other careers to do this work, the demands have grown from health and food parcels to pest control, mending water pumps, and running projects for street children. SARC is non political and is one of the only agencies able to cross the conflict’s front lines.
‘Never have I seen children so motivated to learn’
Around 60 children live in shelters with their families in the rural area of Al-Majbal after fleeing Aleppo. In a makeshift tent, volunteers from SARC’s psychosocial support team provide activities for the children. Most have not been able to go to school in some time, if at all. “Never ever I have seen children so motivated to learn as these,” says Qamar, a volunteer who is teaching basic numeracy and literacy.
Alone, homeless and begging to survive
One of the most devastating impacts of the conflict has been on children who have been left homeless, alone and begging on the street in order to survive. Here, Mirna, who is 13, learns to write her name at a SARC project for street children in Aleppo, which provides welfare and support to 75 children. Abed, the SARC volunteer says: “This project has made a great impression on Mirna and other children, as they have been able to integrate well into their communities. Mirna is more confident and she likes to write her name everywhere. It is a fabulous feeling for her.”
Displaced for the third time in two years
Radwan (centre) is helped to a SARC mobile clinic by his mother and brother to have his bandage changed, a daily task for the medical team. The family recently fled fighting in Aleppo, becoming displaced for the third time in the two years since Radwan’s father died. Along with several other families, they now live in a public park. Radwan is keen to recover as soon as possible to join his older brother, aged 13, at work to support the family.
For refugees, finding safety often comes before medical needs
Mrs Amina, 48, receives a health check at a collective shelter. She has been displaced twice, and struggles with several health issues including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and chronic back pain. She is also the sole carer for eight children.
Many thousands of displaced people within Syria are struggling with existing health conditions. The drive to find safety comes first, and medical needs are often neglected by parents desperate to settle their children in a new location. A mobile health team from SARC has been able to provide Mrs Amina with the necessary medications at her new shelter in a public park. During August the Aleppo teams treated 1,659 patients across the region.
Improving conditions in camps
Aicha, nine, collects mosquito nets from SARC. Before the conflict, many areas of Syria were regularly sprayed with mosquito repellent as a public health measure, but now there is a high risk of contracting mosquito and insect-borne diseases. All 14 members of Aicha’s family live in the courtyard of a mosque in southern Aleppo, which lacks adequate sanitation and supplies. Dozens of other families also live there. A team of volunteers visits regularly to try to improve conditions and carries out pest control and rubbish collection in many other areas.
Going to where the people are
This mobile health team visits shelters, public parks, empty schools and mosques – everywhere that refugees are living. Nour, nine, is checked over after reporting fever, pain and discharge after his wounds became infected. The family witnessed escalating violence in their neighbourhood, leaving both Nour and his father injured. His father could no longer work following his injuries, and the family now live in a collective shelter in the Al-Shafy mosque. “The boy’s health situation is advancing well” says Abdul Hamid from the SARC team. “In time, he will be able to join in with the football games.”
‘We left everything behind us, we had no other choice’
A health volunteer takes down details from a displaced woman. Mrs Fatoum, 62, is suffering from hypertension, hyperthyroidism and complications from a previous leg injury. “I was forced to leave my home, I fled with family as soon as the clashes went very close to the house. We left everything behind us, we had no other choice,” she says.
Volunteers may be displaced themselves
Many of the SARC volunteers are from the community or are themselves displaced. Salah and his family are from an eastern Aleppo neighbourhood and is now registered at one of the SARC relief centres in Al-Zahraa, to the north of the city. For refugees, volunteering is a way to do something positive while surrounded by chaos and suffering. “It is really a great feeling, when you can give help in some way to a family, to alleviate their suffering, to give them their dignity back,” Salah says.
Dealing with the lasting effects of the war
Yahia is diabetic and is being treated for an ulcer on his foot. His family had found shelter at another project but had to flee after fighting in the neighbourhood. They have since sought refuge in this school yard. He has lost one child to the war and another is now blind after a bullet penetrated his skull.
Rebuilding lives
Before the war, 58-year-old Abu Mohammed ran a homeware shop in Aleppo. In one devastating attack, he lost a leg, his shop and all of his savings, which were tied up in the business. Following intervention from SARC and the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mr Mohammed was referred to a physical rehabilitation centre and fitted with a prosthesis. The SARC microfinance scheme and livelihoods project has also helped him re-establish his business. “I spent several months feeling as if I lived in the middle of nowhere. I was hopeless, and now I have a job again, I have a new life,” he says.
Maintaining water supplies
The Red Crescent works hard to maintain water supplies in Aleppo, which are under great strain in many areas.The WASH (water, sanitation and health) team fixes and replaces generators and pumps for boreholes. When main water supplies are cut off, the boreholes are an essential back up, but lack of electricity or parts to keep the pumps working is a constant problem. The team do regular checks on boreholes to keep supplies going – this week they worked on 21 of them situated around Aleppo.
Protect dignity, elevate suffering, provide necessities
Mr Ryad, 63, and his family are one of thousands registered at the SARC relief centre in Al-Hamdaneya neighbourhood. “Our mission is protect human dignity, elevate suffering, and provide the necessities, which can help people to cope with their hardship” Ali, the SARC team leader says.
‘It is a wonderful feeling to know this project will help’
Volunteers check 112 newly-installed solar panels, which provide electricity to pump water from a nearby well. The project includes storage for more than 100,000 litres and will provide water for 10,000 people. Using alternative energy to power the pump avoids the issues with intermittent power and the costs of fuel for generators. SARC volunteer Moina says: “Every day I have seen children, women, old people searching for water. It is a wonderful feeling to know this project will help them.”
A welcome distraction
SARC organises sports activities for children living in shelters, including 10-year-old Hammoud, seen here at football training. The games teach responsibility, fair competition, and encourage the development of creative skills through physical and mental exercise. They also provide a welcome distraction. Hammoud lives in one of the unfinished skeleton buildings, which often lack sanitation, water supplies, or proper walls, roofs or floors. Ziad, one of the volunteers at the football ground says: “I am proud of Hammoud’s progress, he has a lot of friends now and that smile doesn’t leave his face. He has potential and a brilliant talent, which before was blocked by his living situation in the shelter.”
Be accepting but resolute
Aid trucks wait to deliver aid to rural areas in southern Aleppo. Part of a multi-agency operation, the trucks contain food, health supplies and other emergency aid. Each month, SARC brings aid to over four million people, but many more are in need, especially in places under siege or hard to reach areas. This convoy is bringing supplies to an especially vulnerable population in the desert today – this will the first time an aid convoy has been able to reach them since the conflict began.
“We spent more than 7 hours waiting, it was a very hot day, the road was very rough and bumpy, and we hardly found a shadow under a tree to have some rest,” Molham, one of the SARC volunteers says. “The SARC team had not succeeded in crossing the line for two days, but on the third day, [we] reached the community. The key to success in these circumstances is to be accepting but resolute.”
For more information about the work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Syria click here.
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