Syria Crisis Response

February 2013

In January 2013 AMURT started to give out food

vouchers to respond to the need of the refugees

between the large distributions and before

assistance from United Nations kicks in for those

who registered as refugees.

Syrian refugee Basar uses one of his food vouchers

to shop fruits and vegetables while his daughter

tucks in to a banana. In the supermarket he gets

essentials like grains and soap.

“It’s the grace of God that AMURT helped me today”

Basar says. “This morning the owner of the house

where I live was threatening to evict me and I would

have been on the street with my family”.

When a new family arrives from Syria they often just

arrive with a couple of suitcases. Even if they find a

host family they often need a full winter kit

consisting of a heating/cooking stove, a carpet,

bedding and extra clothes.

AMURT was able to supply winter kits in the Chouf

district within 48 hours. Here volunteer Amar

himself from Syria delivers a stove to a newly arrived

compatriot.

Project coordinator Anas explains the assembly of a

stove to a refugee who just arrived a couple of days

prior after his house in Syria was destroyed by

shelling.

In exceptional cases AMURT provides emergency

rental support. “We were living in a place without

utilities and it was hard for me to keep the children

healthy” Nuur explains. “Thanks to AMURT we now

have a simple small but clean place to live”.

In November and December 2012 AMURT

partnered with the Saudi Relief Committee, the

government of Qatar and Islamic Relief to

distribute food rations.

Since November 2012 AMURT started

distribution of winter items in partnership with

the government of Qatar, UNHCR and Islamic

Relief.

Stories from October 2012 assessments and

interviews

During a home visit, an AMURT representative talks

to refugee families about their needs and

opportunities in Lebanon.

These siblings escaped from Syria with their mother.

Their father had to stay behind as he is on dialysis

and the treatment is beyond their means in

Lebanon. AMURT helped this family with clothes and

bedding in preparation for the cold months ahead.

Abedrahman receives blankets for his family and

chats to AMURT representative.

Zahraa and her family arrived in Lebanon as

refugees from Syria a month ago. For the first two

weeks they stayed at a construction site but are now

in temporary housing. AMURT helped Zahraa to go

to school and provided her family with bedding and

other necessities for the winter.

Mohammed, a grandfather, took shelter with

relatives in western Syria, but had trouble even

buying bread, as the streets were too dangerous to

enter. He used his savings to pay an extortionate fee

to a driver to take him across the border. “It was like

escaping from jail,” Mohammed said. “The driver

took a lot of money because he risked his life – we

could have died there in the street.” AMURT

organized much-needed medical supplies and winter

items for Mohammed and his family.