IOCC Helping Others Help Themselves I N T E R N A T I O N A L O R T H O D O X C H R I S T I A N C H A R I T I E S
March 15 , 2017 ( Baltimore , Md .) – After six years of conflict , IOCC is urging continued support for programs to meet the needs of Syrian children and adolescents who face food insecurity , lack access to education , and bear deep psychological scars . Children displaced by the conflict in Syria as well as those who are now refugees outside of the country require support to address all aspects of their health and wellbeing .
The situation of more than 5.6 million children inside Syria , where IOCC has maintained an active presence since 2012 in partnership with the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch ’ s Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development ( GOPA-DERD ), remains the most desperate .
“ The real danger for Syrian children and their families ,” explained Mark Ohanian , IOCC Senior Director of Middle East Programs , “ is not just the immediate need for humanitarian aid to sustain them physically , but the long-term effects on their wellbeing caused by the trauma they have experienced and disruptions to their lives .”
Majida , a 26-year-old refugee from Homs living in Lebanon ’ s Bekaa Valley , was unable to breastfeed her infant son Nader because of renal disease . He is just one of more than 1,000 Syrian refugee children in the Bekaa Valley who have been screened by IOCC staff . Ten percent of the children screened were found to be at-risk of malnutrition , either because of underlying medical conditions or lack of support for nursing mothers . In addition to providing breast-feeding assistance , children found to be at-risk are provided with protein-rich , high-calorie supplements to promote their healthy development .
Through screening and simple interventions , the prognosis for Nader has improved and his wellbeing has also benefitted his family . “ A mother ’ s milk is the best nutrition for the baby as it provides immunity , while the bottle might catch germs and cause the baby to get ill . Nader is in better health with breastfeeding , and we are able to cut down our expenses and spend on other priorities in the difficult conditions we are living in ,” Majida said .
Even for otherwise healthy Syrian children , the war is taking its toll . Three million Syrian children born since the beginning of the conflict have experienced prolonged fear from bombings and violence , the loss of family members and friends , and anxiety caused by repeated dislocation and uncertainty .
In an effort to address the trauma on Syrian children , IOCC and its partners began establishing Dream Centers to provide child-friendly environments for Syrian children who are homeless , orphaned , displaced and those with disabilities . Four centers , including one serving Aleppo , in Syria have been established to date to provide psychosocial support , offer instruction in personal care and hygiene , problemsolving and non-violent communication , as well as how to express their feelings and respond and adapt to challenging social situations . Participating children and their parents learn through theater , sports , games , art and other interactive sessions that take place over the course of three months . The program is supervised by a psychiatrist who follows up with the children requiring additional support .
School-aged children also face increasing obstacles to receiving an education . The UN estimates that one in four Syrian schools have been damaged , destroyed , or occupied and more than half of Syrian children are out of school . In Lebanon , which hosts more Syrian refugees than any other country , eight out of every ten Syrian refugee children are not enrolled in school .
In Syria , Jordan , Lebanon and Greece , IOCC is providing remedial classes in English , math , and other subjects to keep children engaged and minimize gaps in learning so that they are able to return to formal education . School uniforms , required in many countries , are also being provided to children . Inside Syria , IOCC has employed Syrian women displaced by the conflict to make school uniforms . The cash-for-work program provides children with the uniforms required for school and much-needed income for the women and their families who are often dependent on aid to survive . In rural Damascus and elsewhere in Syria , children and their teachers show remarkable resilience . During cold winter months , many children went to school wrapped in coats and scarves without electricity or heat so that they would not fall behind .
Media contact : Rada K . Tierney , IOCC Media Relations , 443-823-3489 , rtierney @ iocc . org .