Funds raised from the Syria Crisis Appeal have provided humanitarian support to people and communities affected by the Syrian crisis. In total we have raised $3.727m through our Syria Appeal which has supported the delivery of urgent, lifesaving aid to millions of Syrians. This support has included:

• Providing ambulance and first aid services and support to health care and clinics in Syria
• Distribution of essential household items, food, and water to those displaced by the conflict, both in Syria and neighbouring countries such as Jordan and Lebanon.
• Sending specialist aid workers to assist in the provision of emergency health services, relief and recovery operations.

The crisis in Syria is ongoing but, 12 years on, our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners are shifting their focus to recovery and resilience building.

While Australian Red Cross will support our partners in Syria whenever possible, for the moment, our fundraising efforts will be directed to other emergencies with urgent humanitarian needs.

At home, we will continue to support refugees and people seeking asylum who have been impacted by the crisis, as well as help those who have lost contact with family in Syria.

Today, the people of Syria face a multitude of crises that make day to day life harder than we can imagine. A decade of conflict has affected millions of people, hundreds of thousands have died, and more than half the country’s population has been displaced, both internally and as refugees, mostly in neighbouring countries. Homes and vital infrastructure have been destroyed, access to the basics such as food, water, shelter, medicine and essential services is severely limited. Once a rapidly growing middle-income country, Syria is now in the grip of an economic crisis, and more than 75% of Syrians can’t meet their most basic needs. COVID-19 has made an already dire situation worse, with so many unable to find work, put food on the table, or even access basic services.

Since the beginning of the conflict Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) has been leading the response and is the largest provider of humanitarian services in the country, providing 60 percent of all aid across the country. Through SARC, the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement has an unparalleled presence throughout the country, reaching over five million people every single year with life-saving assistance, including:

• health care, medical transport and first aid for the sick and injured,
• clean drinking water and sanitation,
• emergency shelters for displaced families,
• warm clothes, blankets and mattresses to keep out the winter cold
• food, baby supplies and hygiene kits for families in need
• clean water and sanitation reaching 80% of people across Syria
• psychosocial support for those who have experienced trauma

Red Cross Red Crescent are also helping to rebuild essential infrastructure such as water pumping stations, hospitals and bakeries and are providing livelihoods support for families through vocational training, home gardening initiatives and agricultural support through seed, fertilizer and livestock distributions.

Our teams are in the most difficult to reach and dangerous places, negotiating access to besieged towns and cities across country, so we can evacuate people as needed and deliver food and other essentials to people trapped in these areas.

In areas where fighting continues and humanitarian needs are high Red Cross Red Crescent has provided essential health-care services, and first-aid. Clean drinking water, emergency shelter, support for evacuations and emergency relief items such as food parcels and blankets.

Red Cross Red Crescent is providing psychosocial support for those who have experienced trauma, including sexual and gender-based violence. We also tracing missing persons and reuniting families who have been separated by conflict.

Red Cross Red Crescent is also supporting Syrian refugees and the communities who host them in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey. We provide livelihoods support through vocational and business training as well as cash grants that help people living in desperate poverty to pay rent, utilities and school fees. We are providing healthcare and first aid to the sick and injured and psychosocial support to those who have experienced trauma. Red Cross Red Crescent also provides shelter, clean drinking water and sanitation services and distributes essential aid items to those in need in these neighbouring countries.

Whilst the appeal is closing, our work to help those impacted by the ongoing crisis in Syria is not. Australian Red Cross will continue to support our colleagues overseas and those impacted by the ongoing crisis through our international program work and the International Disaster Fund. At home, we will continue to support refugees and people seeking asylum who have been impacted by the crisis, as well as helping those who have lost contact with family in Syria.

We understand donors’ desire to help in any way they can. However, we cannot accept in-kind donations for food, clothes, medical equipment or other items as we can’t distribute these donations overseas.

Donated goods can clog ports and post offices, preventing the delivery of essential medical and relief supplies, and they’re not always what people need. Instead, cash donations help people make dignified choices that are right for them.

You can read more about the challenges of in-kind donations at Donate Responsibly.

People concerned for the welfare of family and friends in the region, should first attempt to contact them directly. If the person overseas is an Australian citizen, they should call the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 (for enquirers in Australia) or +612 6261 3305 (for enquirers overseas). For other enquiries, contact our Tracing Service.