Syria crisis response appeal Dutch Relief Alliance Joint Response in Syria In many places in Syria in 2011 and 2012 violence broke out in many places between the Syrian government and oppositional groups.  Through the ACT Alliance we provide support and assistance to refugees in the areas of health, education, food & nutrition, non-food items (NFI), water/sanitation and hygiene (WASH), protection, psycho-social support, livelihood, and shelter. In many places in Syria in 2011 and 2012 violence broke out in many places between the Syrian government trying to suppress any opposition against the regime. This opposition relies more and more on arms to defend itself and is getting more and more fragmented. Since 2013, other armed groups with major influences from outside the country such as ISIS and Al-Qaida affiliate Al Nusra. There are over 250,000 casualties, and some 13 million  (approximately 60% of the total population) people fled the violence to safer places in Syria (over 9 million) and to the neighbouring countries (almost 4 million). In November 2015, UNOCHA announced that the displaced are increasingly in need of food, winterised NFI and shelter and other essential aid including education to an increasingly lost generation of children and youngsters. Of these over nine million refugees, five million are seriously food insecure. Outside Syria there are over 3,900,000 refugees that are registered or waiting for registration, over 1,500.000 in Lebanon and over 750.000 in Jordan. The others in Turkey (1,800,000) and 150,000 in Iraq, and some 50,000 in Egypt. Quite some refugees in these countries don't consider registration due to social or security concerns. In Jordan a max of 15% is residing in official camps and the remaining in host communities.

In Syria, providing aid independently to internatlly displaced people (IDPs) and vulnerable residents is a challenge. Even the Red Cross/Red Crescent is partly dependent on the government. Churches have a certain freedom of action. They can use this freedom now on behalf of the affected communities, especially the internally displaced. The displaced are short on everything, also because sanctions towards Syria led to shortages whilst traditional supply lines do not function anymore. High prices in almost every field are one of the consequences. Our partners distribute food parcels, medical kits, hygiene kits so that families can hold out for several weeks and are engaged in improving drinking water supply and sanitation. The churches also look for shelter, get kids to school and if possible help affected families to restore their livelihoods. There is also trauma care to the families. All of this is budgeted and the activities can easily be accounted for. 

The track record of the organisations involved shows that they are able to perform well enough even under difficult circumstances.  The Church of Antioch is the main implementing partner of ACT Alliance in Syria, through IOCC and MECC. It has been assisting affectees of the present situation in 11 out of 15 governorates since the conflict started on 15 March 2011. Central office is in Damascus. There are 17 field offices-cum-warehouse elsewhere. Commodities are purchased locally in Damascus, but depending on the situation also by the field offices and in Lebanon. Emergency support reaches most regions, and serves persons regardless their backgrounds. Also grey areas are reached: the lines are constantly shifting and in moving around one comes across roadblocks by all parties involved. Only areas where certain extremist opposition forces (Al Nusra and IS) are dominant cannot be reached by the Church, including Al Raqqa.

Transport is a problem because of the security situation.  So far, only two trucks of the Church were burned, but many trucks of UN were. Thanks to its special position and opportunities to access areas where other actors cannot go, it has had no shortage of funding. Funds are needed for commodities but also for more personnel. At the moment throughout Syria some 370 professional emergency staff members are employed by the Church of Antioch, assisted by hundreds of part-time volunteers. For assistance to refugees in neighbouring countries Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, the ACT Appeal includes interventions aiming at health, education, food & nutrition, NFI, WASH, protection, PSS, livelihood, and shelter. Implementing members are IOCC, LWF, DSPR/MECC and ERS/MECC. In Jordan, assistance of ACT members takes place in three camps along the border with Syria but increasingly in host communities assisting both refugees and poor host families. In Lebanon, most assistance takes place outside official camps and focuses on non-registered refugees. DSPR/MECC in Lebanon and Jordan caters for Palestinian refugees from Syria in the highly crowded Palestinian camps in the southern resp. northern and central parts of the country.