Since 2012, ACTED has been implementing projects with vulnerable communities in Syria with a two-fold approach: ACTED provides life-saving support to vulnerable displaced persons, returnees, and host communities across Syria, through multi-sectorial rapid emergency services, and implements a wide range of resilience building interventions. Thus, ACTED has been able to strengthen its links with Syrian local communities and to develop an in-depth knowledge of local dynamics. A team of 900+ is currently working in theNorth and South Syria, with a coordination office in Amman.
Mission context
More than seven years after the beginning of the Syrian conflict, the humanitarian crisis remains of a staggering magnitude and gravity. In 2018, more than 13 million people were in need of assistance across Syria including internally displaced persons, host community members, and returnees. In the midst of intensified hostilities in multiple locations, more than one million civilians were displaced in the first five months of the year. Simultaneously, some 6.2 million people remained in protracted displacement and around 760,000 people spontaneously returned to their communities of origin.
ACTED in Syria
ACTED in Syria provides services in an out of camp across a variety of sectors: food security and livelihoods; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH); and shelter/non-food items. ACTED combines emergency response and early-recovery assistance to meet the immediate needs of the most vulnerable, whilst building the resilience of conflict-affected communities.
An illustration of this approach can be seen in ACTED’s provision of complementary assistance at each stage of the agricultural value chain: ACTED supplements the rehabilitation of water infrastructure for irrigation by rehabilitating agricultural assets and providing inputs (for example kitchen garden kits containing seeds adapted to the upcoming agricultural season). ACTED also trains local farmers using community-based practical trainings such as ‘Farmer Field Schools.’ Agricultural production thus benefits from both key infrastructure and a better trained and equipped workforce. Ultimately, this increases food production at household level and contributes to building the resilience of conflict-affected communities. Indeed, in the context of a recent project in northeast Syria, the majority of families who had received kitchen garden kits highlighted that they had used the surplus of their harvest to support their neighbours.
Similarly, ACTED relies on local labour and capacities to conduct shelter rehabilitations, directly benefiting vulnerable households and the local economy.
Overall, ACTED focuses on building the capacity of local communities to meet their needs durably, fostering local acceptance and ensuring the sustainability of interventions.
Syria is home to over six million IDPs. ACTED is highly active in the management of camps, which includes ensuring hygiene levels are maintained.
Current projects
ACTED, 2017
Women participating in livelihoods training in northern Syria
ACTED, 2017
Women participating in livelihoods training in northern Syria
ACTED 2017
A woman, head of household, collecting her fertilizer (distributed by ACTED partners) as part of a home gardening kit programme, Northern Syria
ACTED, 2017
A subcontractor carried out the roof and ceiling repair of one of the 550 houses selected by ACTED for rehabilitation because of their insalubrity
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