Shelter Rehabilitation - Rebuilding Ali’s home in Azaz

2024.

Living in Azaz, Syria, Ali’s house was severely damaged by the February 2023 earthquakes. Because of the earthquake, his home was almost entirely destroyed: “I was shocked to see my room near the street almost destroyed, with walls collapsed on the ground. I thanked God we were not in there. The rest of my house had simpler damages, with varying degrees of wall cracks.” The event rendered the house uninhabitable for his family. Adapting to living in a tent was difficult given the weather and living conditions. Being a daily labourer, Ali had neither the time, nor the sufficient funds to tackle the rehabilitation of his home.

We selected Ali’s home to benefit from our Shelter Rehabilitation project, in collaboration with Solidar Suisse. This project aims at rehabilitating shelter for 145 homes in northwest Syria, substantially impacted by the earthquakes. Each household receives a budget of around $ 1, 000, to rehabilitate their homes empowering them through a self-help approach.

Given Ali’s vulnerable situation, his family was able to qualify for SARD’s shelter rehabilitation initiative. Ali directly participated in the rehabilitation process, thanks to SARD’s cash-grant modality, which he received in two installments. Ali and his wife’s bedroom was entirely rebuilt, and the cracked walls were entirely repaired. A new door to the stairs was also built, ensuring further safety for Ali’s children. The rehabilitation also included a new kitchen and bathroom.

The rehabilitation of Ali’s house allowed his family to feel safer in their home. Ali highlights: “My wife and children now feel more at peace, especially after rebuilding the room and fixing all the cracks in the walls. I can now be at peace when outside or at night. We do not fear aftershocks as the walls are now more secure. My wife feels more comfortable sitting in the house and kitchen after installing the sink.”

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