Relief Efforts in Syria and for Syrian Refugees 

In October 2012, Mercy-USA for Aid and Development relief workers began providing aid inside of Syria.  Prior to that, Mercy-USA had been assisting Syrian refugees in Turkey and Lebanon since June 2011.

Currently, Mercy-USA is assisting internally displaced and other vulnerable children and their families in northern Syria, as well as Syrian refugees in Wadi Khalid, Lebanon.


Food and Shelter Aid Inside Syria

From March to June 2013, Mercy-USA is distributing monthly food baskets and infant formula to 1,000 families in northern Syria, 350 families in Azmarin (Idlib province)
and 650 families in Aleppo.  Each food basket contains: 11 pounds of rice, 11 lb. of cracked wheat, 2 liters of olive oil, 4 liters of corn oil, 2 lb. of tomato paste, 2 lb.
of chickpeas, 4.5 lb. of lentils, 3 lb. of noodles, 6.5 lb. of sugar, 1.5 lb. of salt, 1.5 lb. of halwa (a nutritious Middle Eastern sesame seed sweet), 2 lb. of thyme/zatar,
1 lb. of tea and 2 lb. of jam.  1,200 boxes of infant formula are also being distributed to families with babies.  For $90, you can provide a family of six with a food
basket and infant formula to last one month.

Since October 2012, Mercy-USA has been working inside Syria to provide relief to internally displaced persons, as well as to other very vulnerable children and their families.

From December 2012 to January 2013, we provided a total of 12,000 Baby Milk Boxes (each box weighed over 0.5 pounds) to 5,590 children, 7,300 Blankets to 2,525 families,
352,000 pounds of Flour* to 3,550 families, and 1,000 Tarpaulins to 1,000 families.  Details on these distributions are in the table below:

 

Item/ Location	Baby milk (250-gram boxes)	# Of beneficiaries	Blankets	# Of beneficiaries	Flour* (tons)	# Of beneficiaries	Tarpaulins	# Of beneficiaries
Aleppo
El-Marjeh, Bab El-Nayreb	2,744	1,000 children	100	30 families	72.4	250 families	-	-
Bab El-Hadeed, Aqyoul	450	150 children	100	15 families	47.6	400 families	-	-
Makbara El-Islamie, Mantaka El-Sinai’e	1,750	1,000 children	1,500	500 families	-	-	-	-
Jabal Badro, Tareek El-Bab and El-Helwanie	1,800	1,200 children	2,200	600 families	-	-	-	-
Idlib
Darkoush (Ghazalie, El-Rimadiyie)	2,256	900 children	1,500	700 families	-	-	-	-
Azmarin	2,000	840 children	1,500	480 families	20	1,600 families	50	50 families
Atmeh	1,000	500 children	400	200 families	20	1,300 families	950	950 families
Total	12,000	5,590 children	7,300	2,525 families	160	3,550 families	1,000	1,000 families

 





























* Most of the flour was distributed as fresh baked bread.
 
 

An additional 1,200 blankets will be distributed in February for a total of 8,500 inside Syria.


       



From October to November 2012, Mercy-USA distributed fresh lamb from Eid Udhias/Qurbanis and other food, as well as hygiene packages.  Details are in the tables below:

Lamb Meat Distributions

Distribution Points in Syria	# Of Sheep Distributed	# Of Beneficiary Families
Aleppo	30	210
Hama	30	210
Maarat El-Noaman	30	210
Jabal El-Akrad	10	70
* Guvecci (to refugees in Turkey near the border)	30	210
Total	130	910

 
Food/Hygiene/ Flour Distributions

Town/ Distribution Point	# Of Food Packages Distributed	# Of Hygiene Packages Distributed	# Of Flour Bags Distributed	Total Families	Total Beneficiaries
Tal Adeh	60	50	10	63	530
Meraayan	20	30	32	33	215
Ihsim	20	20	20	35	239
Salweh	-	-	10	10	97
Sarmadah	-	-	3	3	25
Atmeh Camp	-	-	25*	125	625
Total	100	100	100	269	1,731

* 11 pounds per family 
 


                


   

                                   

  

                                                                     

 

Fresh Bread and Health Care for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

Mercy-USA is currently covering the daily fresh bread needs of 1,500 vulnerable families (about 7,500 persons) in Wadi Khalid, Lebanon.  1,400 of these families are Syrian refugees and 100 are Lebanese
host families.

Distributions are occuring every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 11 different distribution points in the Wadi Khalid region.  Each family receives 3 bags of bread during the week, with each bag weighing
about 2.7 pounds. The average cost is $45 for one family of five for three months.
 
This bread project began in May 2012 with 400 families (350 Syrian refugee and 50 Lebanese host families) and has now expanded to cover 1,500 vulnerable families.


Mercy-USA health services for Syrian refugees and host families living in Wadi Khalid include:

1) A mobile health clinic that runs four days per week (services include vaccines, pre- and post-natal care, and regular medical check-ups).

2) Purchasing an ambulance.

 

 

 

                                       

  

Since February 2012, Mercy-USA has funded a mobile clinic operated by Makassed Charitable Organization that travels four days per week to villages in Wadi Khalid where Syrian refugees are being hosted by local families. 
Mercy-USA is also repairing the stationary clinic operated by Makassed in the region and has purchased an ambulance to support emergency services at this health center.

In December 2012, the mobile clinic and other Mercy-USA supported medical services in Lebanon treated over 2,420 Syrian refugees, as well as local Lebanese host families in the Wadi Khalid region.
In December 2012, the mobile clinic and the permanent Makassed Wadi Khalid health center also provided about 27 vaccinations to Syrian children, gynecological and obstetric services to 242 women and
performed 15 minor surgeries.

From February to December 2012, over 16,100 Syrian refugees have been treated by Mercy-USA supported medical services, approximately 350 Syrian children have been vaccinated,
while almost 1,700 women have received gynecological and obstetric services and 164 minor surgeries have been performed.

 

 

           

 

From April 14 to 18, 2012, Mercy-USA distributed 525 one-month food and household packages to 525 Syrian refugee families (about 2,000 persons including 975 children) in Turkey. 
Eighty families housed in two villages (Guvecci and Nishrin) near the Syrian border received these packages, as well as 445 families now staying in the city of Antakya. Each package contained: 55 pounds of flour,
8.8 lb. of lentils, 4.4 lb. of rice, 4.4 lb. of potatoes, 4.4 lb. of bulgur, 4.4 lb. of beans, 4.4 lb. of zaatar, 4.4 lb. of spaghetti, 4.4 lb. of jam, 4.4 lb. of tomato paste, 4.4 lb. of pepper paste, 4.4 lb. of sugar, 2.2 lb. of tea,
2 liters of olive oil, 2 L of corn oil, one towel, toothbrushes, toothpaste, diapers, women’s sanitary pads, shampoo, detergent, dishwashing liquid, wipes and hand-washing liquid.

From May to October 2012, we are distributing similar one-month food and household packages to 500 Syrian refugee families in Turkey. Each package (contents listed above) costs $110 and
is intended to assist an average family of 5 persons for one month.  We are also providing 2,500 floor mats to families living with host families, as well as some housed in refugee camps.  In addition, starting
around May 28, we will be providing supplementary canned food (5 cans each of fish, beans and green beens) to families living in refugee camps. These distributions will be weekly and will focus on approximately
200 families per week for an initial period of 8 weeks.


                                                                      
 

                              

From May to October 2012, Mercy-USA is distributing fresh baked bread daily to Syrian refugee families in Wadi Khalid, Lebanon. The average cost is $85 for one family of five for 60 days.

 

                                        

                       

 

From February 2012 to February 2013, we are funding a mobile clinic ($2,500 per month) to provide health services to Syrian refugees and other vulnerable persons
in the economically depressed Wadi Khalid area in Lebanon.  This clinic travels weekly to villages where the Syrian refugees are housed.  We are also supporting an existing health clinic
and have purchased a fully-equipped ambulance to provide comprehensive and emergency medical services to the refugees and the local population in Wadi Khalid.

                                                                    

                                          

  

                      

                                                               

 

               

In January 2012, we distributed 2,000 blankets and 600 mattresses to Syrian refugees living in Turkey. In Lebanon, from December 2011 to February 2012, we distributed two-month hygiene packages to 350 families,
800 winter jackets to children and fresh meat to these and other Syrian refugees living with host families in Wadi Khalid.

                                                                            

During August and September 2011, we provided one-month family packages containing flour, lentils, potatoes, rice, zaatar, cheese, halawa, olives, dates, tea, corn oil, sugar, floor mats, shampoo, dish and clothes
detergent and soap to 400 Syrian refugee families in Turkey, as well as one-month food packages to 300 refugee families in Lebanon. In July 2011, Mercy-USA distributed baby formula, milk, medicine, and hygiene
and household items to about 17,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey and Lebanon.

In Turkey, we provided 3,000 family packages to the 3,000 refugees families living in 5 camps (Yayladagi, Boynuyogun, Altinozu, Reyhanli & Apaydin), with host families in 3 villages (Guvecci, Nishrin & Hasma)
and in a small buffer zone along the border inside of Syria.  Each family package contained baby formula and bottles, milk, watermelons and hygiene items (including diapers, baby wipes, cotton, baby cream, shampoo,
laundry detergent, soap, tooth brushes, toothpaste and facial tissues).  We also distributed 400 sets of foam mattresses, floor mats and blankets to 400 families in the Reyhanli camp.

In Lebanon, we provided 500 one-month family hygiene packages to refugees living with host families in the Wadi Khalid area.  Each family package contained diapers for babies, sanitary pads for women, soap,
detergent, shampoo and tea biscuits for the children.  In addition, Mercy-USA provided common household medications to a local mobile clinic that is caring for these vulnerable women and children.

Mercy-USA is continuing to monitor this rapidly developing situation and is preparing new programs to assist these very vulnerable Syrian refugees in Turkey and Lebanon.

          

         

 

 

 

Thank you for your caring and concern.

Sincerely,
Umar al-Qadi
President and CEO

 

 

Dedicated to alleviating human suffering and supporting individuals and their communities in their efforts to become more self-sufficient, Mercy-USA for Aid and Development is a registered PVO
(Private Voluntary Organization) with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and
is a member of the American Council for Voluntary International Action (InterAction).

 

Mercy-USA has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, is certified as one of the Best in America with the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence, and complies with the InterAction PVO Standards.  Mercy-USA's
projects focus on improving health, nutrition and access to safe water, as well as promoting economic and educational growth around the world.