GOAL's Response in Syria
Since 2012, GOAL teams have been working on the ground with local communities in Northwest Syria - responding to ongoing conflict and the devastating earthquakes of February 2023. In collaboration with local partners, GOALies deliver life-saving support, including shelter, food, water, and sanitation - aimed at addressing urgent needs and building community resilience amidst a volatile environment.
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Support from EU Humanitarian Aid
Launched in May 2024 and funded by the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), the SANAD programme (Arabic for Support, Aid and Strengthening) addresses pressing humanitarian needs in Northwest Syria through:
- Emergency Cash Assistance: Multi-purpose cash for food and winter essentials to meet urgent needs.
- Dignified Shelters: Transitional housing with access to clean water, sanitation, and critical infrastructure.
- WASH Services: Clean water and sanitation improvements to mitigate disease risks and bolster resilience.
- Localized Coordination and Advocacy: Supporting the Syrian NGO Alliance to enhance local humanitarian capacity and coordination.
Seeing more and more vulnerable families suffer under conditions of displacement and conflict was difficult. But I knew that this did not have to be the way.
Tackling New Challenges
As military activity in Syria escalates and harsh winter temperatures set in, GOAL teams are scaling up emergency relief efforts to meet rising needs. GOALies are constructing 'dignified shelter units' to house displaced families, installing rainwater drainage systems to combat flooding, and ensuring energy-efficient facilities for sustainable living conditions. These activities are part of a broader effort to combat food insecurity and improve water access to communities in need.
Supporting piped water provision to households instead of relying on water trucking has allowed GOAL to achieve more sustainable results.
Collaboration for Impact
In partnership with Syria Relief, Shafak, and Al Sham Humanitarian Foundation, the SANAD programme embodies a coordinated, context-sensitive response that adapts to Syria’s fluid situation. Sustained EU support remains a lifeline, reaching families with essential aid and infrastructure improvements.
GOAL in Syria
After more than a decade of conflict, over 6.8 millions Syrians are internally displaced. 70% of Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance and relying on aid to survive day-to-day.
GOAL teams have been working on the ground in Syria since the conflict began in 2012. In the last year GOAL's emergency response programme has reached over 287,000 newly displaced people with food, cooking supplies and financial assistance. As GOAL engineers repair damage to water network infrastructure, more than 1.1 million people are now able to access clean drinking water in their homes. A further 430,000 people are benefitting from GOAL's bakery programme in North-West Syria.
