Winterization: How Camp Gravelling Helped Abdul Razzaq Access Basic Services

September 26th 2023

Abdul Razzaq and his family of 7 come from the city of Homs, Syria. Displaced by the war 7 years ago, they live in Al-Quds camp, in northwest Syria. Regarding his displacement journey, he explains: “All my house was demolished, and I lost all my livelihood. I suffer from a lack of heating materials and blankets, and the tents are very worn out after 7 years.”. 

He mentioned the extreme difficulty to access basic necessities, including water and healthcare services due to the state of the road and the mountainous environment, rendered even more challenging due to his health conditions:

  “Every time I need to visit the doctor, the road and the walk add to my pain I also struggle with mud during the winter, and I worry about my children's well-being in the cold season. It's challenging to send them to school because I am far from the camp, and the roads are difficult, muddy, and infested with insects.” 

SARD and Welthungerhilfe carried out interventions in Al-Quds camp as part of the Camps Roads Gravelling and Winterization project. It aims to rebuild infrastructure in camps to improve living conditions. SARD’s initiative included building roads in the camp to facilitate circulation, and setting up a suitable sewage system. This included the construction of main and secondary roads, as well as installing toilet blocks and drainage channels. Tent floors were also insulated to prevent water and insect infiltration.

Abdul Razzaq states: “I can now move easily within the camp. Water trucks and ambulances can easily reach the camp.” 

SARD’s winterization and road gravelling initiative allowed for easier direct access to the camp. For Abdul Razzaq, this project mitigated many of the issues he was suffering from, as water and healthcare services became more easily available. Moreover, children can now safely go to school, and play in the camp’s streets.

Abdul Razzaq's wish is that SARD will continue implementing such projects to include more camps that need inspection and improved access. He hopes to alleviate the burden on displaced people, and also hopes to return to his home and original place of residence.

We would like to sincerely thank our donor, Welthungerhilfe, who helped make this project possible. If you would like to help us have a larger impact on the communities we serve, please consider donating below.