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Donate Now Syria Crisis Appeal
1.6 million refugees urgently need shelter, food and water
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More than 1.6 million refugees have now fled violence in Syria and are in desperate need of shelter, food and water. Oxfam is aiming to reach 650,000 people in the coming months and is calling for more international aid and a peaceful solution to the crisis.
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The conflict in Syria has resulted in a dramatically deteriorating humanitarian crisis. Violence continues to escalate due to fighting between government forces and opposing groups. Explosive weapons are being used in densely populated areas, resulting in widespread death, injury, and displacement.
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Many Syrians have fled to neighbouring countries in the hope of escaping violence. Over a million refugees have now been registered or are awaiting registration. Some 8,000 refugees are leaving Syria every day. Many flee with little more than the clothes on their backs.
Take action: Sign the Syria petition
Oxfam is scaling up its response in Lebanon and Jordan to respond to rising needs and is exploring options to be able to work inside Syria.
In Lebanon, Oxfam is helping Palestinian refugees arriving from Syria and Syrian refugees who have fled the violence in their country.
Since rental prices are high in Lebanon, Oxfam is providing vulnerable families with cash to help them afford safe housing, and also buy the basic needs for their families. Oxfam will also work on improving the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) conditions in various locations across Lebanon, including through the improvement of WASH facilities at household level to ensure people, many of whom are living in temporary settlements, have access to safe water and sanitation facilities. We are also distributing vouchers which people can exchange for hygiene products such as soap and food in local shops.
In Jordan we're working in Za'atari refugee camp - providing people with water and sanitation facilities. We have currently reached some 20,000 Syrian refugees with emergency latrines and have recently completed shower, toilet and laundry blocks to reach 8,000. Oxfam is also coordinating hygiene training to prevent the spread of life-threatening diseases. We have held hygiene lessons with children and a tile-painting project giving them a chance to decorate the tiles in the wash blocks.
Syria Crisis Appeal - in pictures
We have also carried out assessments to see how we can help the vulnerable refugees who are living outside the camp and in host communities over the next few months, and aim to support people with cash for rental support and basic needs, as well as improving access to safe water and public health monitoring. Work with these communities is due to start later this month.
Oxfam is committed to providing humanitarian assistance inside Syria to civilians and host communities. These organisations are delivering food relief, hygiene kits and other household items to help civilians in humanitarian need. Oxfam has applied for approval to work with the Ministry of Water Resources in supporting emergency water and sanitation activities throughout the country. We are exploring all methods by which to immediately and effectively assist civilians across Syria, and those Syrians in dire humanitarian need in Lebanon, Jordan and other neighbouring countries.
You can help: Donate now
Update: May 2013
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The crisis in Syria is deepening every hour. Sign our petition to end the violence and let aid in.
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© 2013. Oxfam is a registered charity in England and Wales (no 202918) and Scotland (SC039042). Oxfam GB is a member of the international confederation Oxfam.