The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and the Canadian Catholic Organizaton for Development and Peace (D&P) launched the campaign June 21 to help people fleeing Syria’s civil war.
In a news release, the CCCB announced the campaign will end with a day of fasting and prayer on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross for “the people of Syria and all of the Middle East.”
Donations to D&P must be sent in by Sept. 14, the bishops’ conference says, noting the agency has so far raised $284,000.
According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, almost two million people have fled to neighbouring countries, a CCCB news release said. Another 6.8 million people in Syria, a country of 22.5 million, are “seriously affected” by the ongoing violence, it said. Half are children.
Though the UNHCR reports refugees “generally have access to basic public services” and that “malnutrition and mortality rates to date are relatively low,” that picture could deteriorate quickly as more refugees pour in, increasing the demands on host countries.
The CCCB-D&P emergency joint campaign will provide funds for the work being done by Catholic charities and development agencies of the Holy See’s charitable federation Caritas Internationalis, of which D&P is a member.
“Since October 2012, Development and Peace has been taking action to help victims of the civil war in Syria, and providing support for its partners in the region, mainly Caritas Syria, Caritas Lebanon, Caritas Jordan, Caritas Turkey and Menapolis,” the release said. “The most vulnerable individuals receive priority assistance: pregnant women, children and the wounded.”
D&P is supporting its partner Caritas Syria in the distribution of heating fuel, blankets and warm clothing, rent vouchers and the purchase of stoves and electric heaters. An estimated 1,600 families will be receiving help. D&P is also working with Menapolis, a research and program consultancy based in Turkey and Tunisia, in the distribution of food baskets in Aleppo, Syria, and in setting up a bakery in Saraqeb, also inside Syria.
In neighbouring Jordan, D&P is working with Caritas Jordan in the distribution of food and necessities to 1,500 vulnerable Jordanian families. They are also providing primary health care to 3,500 Syrians and 1,500 Jordanians, and secondary health care assistance to 2,100 Syrians and 900 Jordanians. They are also providing wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids and other medical equipment, including blood testing kits to 210 Syrian patients and 90 Jordanians.
The campaign will also fund projects in Turkey and Lebanon.
“Development and Peace will continue to support emergency appeals from Caritas organizations in the region that are continuing activities to assist Syrian refugees and the increasingly vulnerable populations that host them: medical care, distribution of food and non-food items, etc,” says D&P on its web site where video is available to showcase some of the Syrian projects.
“Given the proportions that the crisis has acquired, we are seeking additional funding to support the work of members of our network,” D&P says.
“We are also collaborating with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank to meet urgent food needs in Lebanon (with the Migrants Centre of Caritas Lebanon) and Syria.”
To donate online go to www. devp.org/syria or call 1-888-664- 3387.