Reflecting on 2023: A letter from SARD Director

Written January 2024.

Dear friends,

We did not anticipate that 2023 would test our resilience and determination in unprecedented ways, as earthquakes shook our communities to their core. As we reflect on the impact we made over this past year, we are grateful for your support.

In northwest Syria, our early recovery projects included restoring 6 schools, revitalizing 3 marketplaces, and improving several sewage infrastructure. We also played a significant role in the rubble removal efforts in the aftermath of the earthquakes, a time-consuming and sensitive process in the midst of so much pain.

We were able to provide refuge to unaccompanied and separated children and offer comprehensive case management services to children and their families. We opened a new Child Friendly Space in Idlib that provides regular psychosocial activities.  

With 2 million people living in camps, 800,000 of whom are still in tents, winter is time of immense hardship. This year, we upgraded 12 IDPs camps and settlements with 4 more ongoing and distributed one-time cash-for-winter so families can endure the winter. Site upgrades included tent ground insulation, site leveling, terracing and graveling.

We expanded our response to Turkey with life-saving efforts in hard to reach villages of Adıyaman, one of the hardest hit areas. We continue to ramp up our response there as winter is now upon us. This week we started distributing winterization kits to families living in containers.

We invite you to look back with us as we reflect on this past year. If you haven't already, we invite you to remember SARD in the last 3 days of the giving season. Thank you.

With heartfelt appreciation on behalf of the SARD team,

Alaa Wafai

SARD Director