Since the beginning of the war almost five years ago, over 4.6 million Syrians have become refugees struggling to find stability in the diaspora. It is a cause that has captured the attention of Arabs and non-Arabs due to the growing horror we continue to witness coming out of the region.
While it might seem natural to turn to big-name non-profits to donate your time or money to, I’ve found that contributing to non-profits on a smaller scaled is a better route. Reason being: They are much more in tune with both the communities contributing and receiving resources. Here are nine ways you can help Syrians living in and outside the country.
Syrian American Medical Society
SAMS is a foundation comprised of brave and giving physicians who travel to Syria, Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan to provide much-needed medical care for internally and externally displaced Syrians. SAMS has sponsorship programs that allow donors to help support everything from dialysis treatments to helping provide hospital fuel to psychosocial centers.
Mulham Team
Through educational support, orphan care and children’s psychosocial support, Mulham Team has been dedicated to replenishing stability in the lives of Syrian children. Mulham Team has also been running emergency campaigns delivering much-needed humanitarian aid within Syria. Most recently they’ve been raising funds for the city of Madaya.
Karam Foundation
Created in Chicago in 2007, Karam Foundation has been operating by the Arabic word “karam”, which means “to give”. Through their programs focused on education, sustainable development, refugee family sponsorship, smart aid and emergency aid relief for Madaya, Karam has been able to positively impact the lives of countless Syrians.
Syrian Sunrise Foundation
Running since 2011, this organization that currently works under the name “Sunrise-USA” and provides emergency relief to Syrians refugees both in and out of the country. Their main programs include orphan sponsorship, food aid, education and much more. Sunrise is working towards their long-term goals of re-establishing education, human development, and healthcare.
Salaam Cultural Museum
Established in 1996, Salaam Cultural Museum has always aimed to elevate the lives of those in the MENA region but is currently turning its focus to the Syrian crisis through medical missions, food drives and humanitarian aid, including solar lanterns and fostering healing for children at the Malki Children’s Center by providing mental health services.
Jusoor Foundation – Syrians Forward Together
Jusoor focuses on the future of Syrian youths through knowledge. The NGO is comprised of Syrians who implement programs that help young Syrians achieve an education they deserve as well as career development they need in order to create a foundation for themselves in the work force. Jusoor provides these needs through enrolling children in schools and providing them with scholarships and mentors that extends over a network of over 85,000 Syrian students.
The Syria Fund
This organization is focused on serving underserved Syrians residing in Jordanian refugee camps that are often overlooked by big organizations. The main goals of The Syrian Fund is to provide medical, food and household supplies to refugees as well as building teaching facilitates for children who’ve had to be deprived of education struggling to escape violence in their homeland.
NaTakallam
A phenomenal startup that has launched an initiative to help Syrian refugees in Lebanon establish their lives and earn a means of living. NaTakallam is an online platform that sets up students studying Arabic with Syrians tutors.
Syrian Relief Project by The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund
The PCRF, which started out treating Palestinian children, extends its healing hands to Syrian and Iraqi children in response to the ongoing crisis. The PCRF provides free medical and surgical care to Syrian children in refugee camps across the Middle East. Children are sent to the U.S. and Europe for free medical treatment and hosted by Arabic speaking families. The PCRF also sends medical missions to Syrian refugee camps in the Middle East to screen and treat children as well as provide them with humanitarian relief.
Did we miss your favorite small scale non-profit organization? Please let us know at kurt@scoopempire.com.
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