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Syrian crisis: winter is making the already precarious conditions for families even worse

by Terre des hommes | Terre des hommes (Tdh) - Switzerland
Tuesday, 15 December 2015 09:00 GMT

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Winter is coming in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. As in Switzerland and elsewhere, nights become colder and colder. Displaced persons and refugees live in makeshift shelters and lack the material goods to deal with the harsh winter temperatures. Sanitary risks for children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are made worse.  

Terre des hommes has been on the scene helping vulnerable populations since the start of the Syrian crisis. The NGO is now launching an urgent appeal to provide more assistance to these millions of families.

Unbearable living conditions

Displaced men, women and children set off leaving all of their belongings behind. Without suitable accommodation or warm clothes these people are already in an extremely vulnerable situation, but the arrival of the harsh winter temperatures mean that they are even more at risk.

Rain, wind and temperatures sometimes below zero make the already precarious living conditions more fragile. In addition to food insecurity, basic necessities are in increasingly short supply.

Your donation = relief for a family

It does not take much to improve living conditions for a displaced or refugee child. Here are a few examples of how donations can help many families get through the winter:

-          50 francs provides enough for a mother to take care of her baby. A baby kit includes nappies, clothes and toiletries.

-          By donating 70 francs you enable our local teams to take care of a child. The child will be given individual social and psychological support. The family will also receive financial or material help in accordance with their needs.

-          By donating 150 francs you give ten children the opportunity to take part in educational activities. A school kit includes a rucksack, exercise books and pens.

Terre des hommes has been helping displaced populations, refugees and host communities since the start of the Syrian crisis. Our projects provide protection for children who are suffering psychological trauma, children who work to provide for their families as well as children who are victims of child marriage, abuse or domestic violence.

In 2014 our teams were able to provide assistance to more than 57,000 Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon. They also helped more than 17’000 Syrians, displaced Iraqis and host communities in Syria throughout psychosocial activities.

With no sign of the conflict ending any time soon, the situation is getting more serious at a time when humanitarian aid is petering out. You can make a difference by making a donation. A heartfelt thank you.

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