One year ago, on the 6^th of February, earthquakes and strong aftershocks caused great devastation in Syria and Turkey. Syria, already in crisis due to the ongoing conflict, was again hit by a disaster that affected thousands of its citizens. The earthquake caused widespread damage to infrastructure and civilian buildings in the governorates of Aleppo, Hama, Idleb and Lattakia. 

Dorcas had been working in Syria for many years when the earthquake struck. This meant that our local staff were able to respond immediately, resulting in a strong presence on the ground. In the past year, Dorcas provided ongoing food security and livelihood support, shelter assistance, MHPSS and protection services, as well as essential non-food items. The infographic below shows a summary of the support that Dorcas provided in the region: 

Food Security and Livelihoods and Shelter  

Dorcas has had a local presence in north-west Syria for years, around the cities of Aleppo and Homs. These regions have struggled with food insecurity long before the earthquake struck. The new disaster exacerbated this problem. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the availability of basic commodities was limited. With cold temperatures, especially at night, it was imperative that people had access to a safe and warm environment and a decent meal, and this was therefore a top priority in the disaster response. Dorcas Syria supported 57,805 people with (hot) meals, food parcels, lunches or food vouchers over the past year. In addition, we provided shelter assistance to 1,546 people.  

One of the people Dorcas Syria has supported through the food security services is Zainab. Zainab lives with her two sisters and her brother and his wife and children in the Al Hellok area. After the earthquake, the atmosphere in their home became one of constant tension and a sense of impending danger. The situation was made worse when her brother, Mohammad, lost his job, leaving the family to rely solely on Zainab’s meagre income. Zainab and her family registered at the Dorcas Community Centre in Hellok after she heard about it through acquaintances. Because of their difficult circumstances, Zainab’s family qualified for Dorcas’ food programme, and this provides monthly food vouchers. Zainab expressed her joy and relief when she visited the centre to collect the vouchers: ‘The burden has been lifted from my shoulders’. The family had been constantly hungry, struggling to meet basic needs for medicine, clothes and school supplies. ‘The voucher also helped us provide a variety of nutritious foods that were previously missing from our meals’. This improved the overall health of the family.

MHPSS and Protection services.  

The earthquake and aftershocks had an enormous impact on people’s lives and general wellbeing. In such a crisis, the provision of MHPSS is vital because the enormous amount of stress that people experienced could lead to a range of other complaints. Providing this has been a major priority for the team over the past year. Dorcas already had a MHPSS support team on the ground, consisting mainly of social workers and psychologists, and was able to provide MHPSS and protection services to 20,318 people in the past year.  

One of the people Dorcas supported through these services, is Rokaya. Rokaya (50) is a widow living in Aleppo with her four daughters. In the aftermath of the earthquake, Rokaya was facing numerous hardships like damage to their home, chronic illness and extreme poverty. One of her daughters received psychological first aid from Dorcas, and the family was registered to access the centre’s services. Her daughters were also deeply affected by the disaster, and Rokaya saw the support of the centre as an opportunity to alleviate her family’s psychological pain and fear.  Dorcas provided Rokaya and her family with psychological support and access to the food aid programme. She became stronger and more resilient and regained her sense of dignity. On top of that, she also formed meaningful friendships during the support sessions. Rokaya envisions a brighter future for herself and her family, emphasising the invaluable impact of the programme on her life. 

Non-Food Items 

After the disaster, there was also a great need for non-food items, such as clothes and blankets. In the past year, Dorcas reached 57,976 people with this support.  

What is needed in the coming year(s)? 

The suffering in Syria must not be forgotten. After the earthquake, there was a resurgence of attention to the needs of the Syrian people, but that attention has slowly faded. At the moment, however, the situation in Syria is worse than it was before the earthquake. Compounding the situation is the enormous inflation that the country is experiencing. An UN OCHA 2024 Humanitarian Needs Overview for Syria estimates that some 16.7 million people across Syria will require humanitarian assistance in 2024¹. According to the Dutch Relief Alliance multi-sectoral needs assessment done during August and September 2023, there are many needs in different fields, that require the attention of the humanitarian sector². These needs are for example:  

• A large percentage of households struggle with poor food consumption (e.g. 64.6 per cent in Aleppo).  
• Of those who participated in the assessment, 86.3 per cent rely on temporary or unstable daily work as the best source of income for their household.   
• Mental health is still a major concern. Children and first responders in particular are experiencing burnout and distress. Several reports point to the need for MHPSS due to the extreme trauma and stress caused by the earthquake.  
• In the areas identified in the assessment, there are significant protection risks and concerns for girls and women, e.g. forced and early marriages, harassment, sexual exploitation, domestic violence and child neglect. 
• The deteriorating economy, living conditions, inflation and increased fuel prices, which led to increased prices of medicines, create a number of barriers for people to access health services.    

Dorcas will continue to be on the ground in Syria, providing support to those in need. Najla Chahda, Country Director of Dorcas Syria, describes Dorcas’ priorities for this year:

¹Syrian Arab Republic: 2024 Humanitarian Needs Overview (December 2023) 

² Dutch Relief Alliance: Joint Multi-Sectoral Needs Assessment (2023). 

Several targets in Yemen have been bombed in recent weeks in response to Houthi attacks in and around the Red Sea. At this time, Dorcas Yemen staff, our partners’ staff and our project participants are safe. Although our team is safe, staff are still very concerned for the people of Yemen, who were already in a very difficult situation. Despite these challenging developments, they continue to work tirelessly to support those in need.

The impact of the security threat in the Red Sea is already being felt by humanitarian actors, with disruptions to trade pushing up prices and causing delays in the delivery of life-saving supplies. Shortages and increased costs of basic commodities such as food and fuel will only exacerbate an already dire economic crisis, increase aid dependency and increase protection risks. All actors have a legal obligation to ensure the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance so that people in need can access these services. If the current situation worsens, there is also the possibility of large movements of internally displaced people in the region. If this is the case, we will reassess what action needs to be taken.

Latifa is a project participant of Dorcas Tanzania.  

Latifa: ‘In our society, girls are isolated during their menstrual period. Many girls do not even have access to sanitary pads and instead have to use pieces of cloth, which are not hygienic. Like many girls in my community, I struggled to attend school when I had a period, and that was not good for my education. 

However, things changed for me when people from Dorcas came to our school. They taught us about safe menstruation and gave us sanitary pads. They also talked with parents, and now our fathers are starting to have a more positive attitude towards the issue of menstruation. 

I think that girls should have the same access to education as boys. Menstruation must not prevent us from attending school, and all girls should be able to obtain sanitary pads and menstruate safely. These are major issues in our society that I want to stand up for when I grow up. 

I hope that one day, our society will become better educated about menstruation and that girls will no longer be isolated and miss school because they have a period.’

Menstrual Hygiene Management Programme 

Dorcas Tanzania works to break the taboo around female menstruation and improve gender equality in northeast Tanzania. We have provided menstrual hygiene products and safer facilities at 75 schools and raised awareness about menstruation issues in 50 villages in the region. 

This programme ensures families with a low-income gain access to affordable and reusable sanitary pads, and it boosts the confidence of girls and women in rural areas. Girls’ school attendance has improved, resulting in more girls completing their education. We also work with teachers to raise awareness about the menstrual cycle and how to combat the stigma associated with this, and we help young girls become role models in menstrual hygiene. 

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘢𝘴’ 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘯. 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦. Human Rights: Contributing to a just society – Dorcas

Lilian is the Country Director of Dorcas Tanzania.  

‘15.3% of all girls from Tanzania do not attend school during menstruation, according to a survey done by UNICEF in 2021. The reasons for this include pain and discomfort, lack of menstrual materials, fear of embarrassment due to visible stains on their clothes, lack of a changing room, and lack of clean and suitable toilet facilities. This regular school absence reduces the girls’ academic performance and has a negative psychological impact on their lives.’ 

‘Menstruation is a natural process, and no woman should pay the price for this in terms of academic progress, exclusion or disengagement. Women and girls from low-income families are particularly vulnerable due to their limited awareness of hygienic practices and lack of appropriate sanitary materials.’

‘We tackle these issues by raising awareness of menstrual hygiene among schoolgirls, boys and teachers, and creating an environment in schools and local communities that supports menstrual hygiene. ‘Furthermore, we ensure all girls and women, including those from marginalised communities, have access to reusable sanitary pads and improved latrines at school and at home. This effort includes making soft loans available to purchase sanitary materials and latrines, ensuring retailers and pharmacies in local communities are connected with the sanitary pad supply chain, and training local people to construct improved latrines and rainwater harvesting tanks.’ 

‘I hope that as a result of all these efforts, girls missing school due to menstruation will soon become a thing of the past.’ 

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘢𝘴’ 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘯. 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦. Human Rights: Contributing to a just society – Dorcas

Cor is a former Programme Manager and Country Director at Dorcas.

‘South Sudan is not only plagued by conflicts. It is also prone to flooding due to its relatively low elevation. The country lacks the infrastructure to contain floodwaters, so the rivers overflow and inundate the land. Climate change has worsened this problem because the rainfall is now more frequent and intense.’  

‘In the Netherlands, we use dikes to contain water, so why not do the same in South Sudan? With that thought in mind, we initiated a project in collaboration with ZOA to build dikes. Last year, as a pilot project, we constructed a four-kilometre-long dike that provided flood protection for many people. This year, with the assistance of Pharus and EO Metterdaad, we are building two large dikes.’ 

‘These dikes are being built in a peaceful and conflict-free region that is highly underdeveloped and difficult to reach. For example, during the rainy season, the project area can only be accessed by boat or hollowed-out tree trunks. However, this is definitely a location where Dorcas can make a significant difference.’

‘We want to realise sustainable change, and so before the project started, we extensively researched whether the local population welcomed the idea of dikes. This may sound logical but, unfortunately, we know of cases where humanitarian assistance organisations built dikes only to see these destroyed by fishermen who preferred certain areas to flood. Our research revealed that the local population really welcomed the dikes. Therefore, we know that with this project, we can effectively combat climate change in a sustainable manner together with the local community.’

This story is part of Dorcas’ human rights campaign. Read more stories and statements on our dedicated human rights page. dorcas.org/humanrights

Gilberte (63) participates in a project of Dorcas Lebanon.

Gilberte: ‘I stand up for safety because the situation in Lebanon is very insecure. I currently live alone and have no contact with my family due to a family conflict. This made me realise how much I need the support of others in the struggles I face and to be surrounded by people who care for me.’

‘Dorcas has supported me in many ways. For example, I receive food parcels and am enrolled in the hot meals programme. This support has restored my dignity and self-worth because I no longer struggle to meet my basic food needs. Also, my health has improved thanks to the good meals I receive, so now my health costs are less.’

‘I also joined a club Dorcas runs for older people. Since I joined, my social life has improved a lot! My new friends care about me, and I can share my concerns with them. When I take part in club activities, I feel appreciated by the other participants and the staff. They provide me with a sense of security that I really missed and make me feel at home. My overall sense of wellbeing and confidence have improved, and I want to be involved in any new activities that are organised.’

‘I stand up for the right to safety because I wish to live in a country where I do not have to think about how to have a stable and safe life at this age. I look forward to the day that there is no more conflict in Lebanon. But until then, I hope that Dorcas will keep on supporting people like me so that we feel safe, protected and loved.’ 

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘢𝘴’ 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘯. 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦. Human Rights: Contributing to a just society – Dorcas

Agnes is the Chief Executive Officer of Dorcas.  

Agnes: ‘Human rights and inclusion are woven into the fabric of what Dorcas is and does. In practice, this means we strive for a society in which equality, well-being, freedom and protection are promoted, especially for people who are excluded. Therefore, our work focuses on marginalised groups, in particular older people, people with disabilities, women and children and ethnic groups such as Roma. We enable them to develop their talents and create opportunities for them and their communities to become more resilient, address their problems and flourish.’

‘Dorcas always tries to give human rights a face. We work with local people and partners to overcome taboos, enable people to care for each other in their local communities and make their voices heard in the corridors of power. For instance, we seek to make education accessible to youth with disabilities in South Sudan. This not only includes obvious solutions like wheelchair ramps but also ensuring the curriculum is adapted to the needs of blind students. Other examples are breaking the taboo around menstruation and providing menstrual products in Tanzania so that girls can continue to go to school, safety nets for older people in Eastern Europe that break social isolation and meet basic needs, and skills training and economic empowerment for refugees and their host communities in the Middle East.’

‘Through our programmes, we also work on human rights and inclusion in the wider society. For example, in the countries where we are active, we encourage local authorities and partners to work together to realise a just and inclusive society in which everyone, whatever their background, is heard and can participate. Closer to home, in the Netherlands and Europe, we partner with a range of interest groups to raise public awareness and ensure the voices of marginalised people are heard in Dutch and European political circles.’

‘I am proud that Dorcas employs people with a rich diversity of backgrounds, skills and insights who passionately stand up for a wide range of human rights. At Dorcas, diversity and inclusion go hand in hand.’ 

This story is part of Dorcas’ human rights campaign. Read more stories and statements on our dedicated human rights page. Human Rights – Dorcas

Sargon is a Programme Manager at Dorcas Iraq.  

Sargon: ‘I am deeply committed to advocating for the safety and protection of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Iraq, as well as ensuring that their fundamental human rights are respected and upheld. These individuals are facing an incredibly challenging situation as they’ve been compelled to leave their homes for various reasons, such as conflict, instability, and threats to their safety. My dedication to this issue stems from the deep belief that every human deserves fundamental human rights and protection regardless of circumstances. It’s a matter of empathy, human dignity, and social justice.’

‘This issue holds paramount importance both in my professional and personal life. As a Programme Manager at Dorcas Iraq, I’m closely involved with IDPs. We work directly with these displaced individuals, providing them with essential resources like shelter, food, and protection services.’   

‘Witnessing their struggles and hearing their stories has also profoundly affected me personally. I believe in every person’s inherent dignity and worth, which makes it even more disheartening to witness so many people, including innocent children and vulnerable families, being forcibly uprooted from their homes.’

‘In addition to direct assistance, I’m involved in advocating for their rights at the policy level. This includes collaborating with local and national authorities and international organisations to ensure these vulnerable individuals receive the required protection and assistance. The goal is to create a society where no one is left behind, and everyone has a fair chance to rebuild their lives and regain dignity.’ 

This story is part of Dorcas’ human rights campaign. Read more stories and statements on our dedicated human rights page. Human Rights – Dorcas

Eva works as a Humanitarian Assistance Expert at Dorcas.  

‘The conflict in Yemen often seems like a never-ending story: people have been trapped in a hopeless situation since 2014. A situation that also makes it quite challenging to find donors who aren’t fatigued by the circumstances. I’ve been to Yemen twice, and I’m deeply impressed by the resilience and optimism of its people. Yemenis are incredibly warm, kind and generous. Also, our colleagues are very passionate, and I’m inspired by their vision for the country and their determination to rebuild it. Despite many reasons for pessimism – Yemenis facing one hardship after another, from conflicts to floods or extreme heat – it energises me when we can respond flexibly to those urgent needs. For example, recently, we were asked to assist 250 families who unexpectedly had to leave everything behind and found themselves with nothing. We provided them with cash assistance.’

‘Besides cash assistance, we also distribute food packages. However, we aim to exchange these food packages for a cash donation wherever possible, as that enables people to choose what they need most and where they spend their money. A condition for this exchange is that people reside in areas close to a market or a shop, so they do not have to spend part of the cash on transportation.’

‘Providing a food package or cash represents far more than just the actual gift. Of course, people need food, but a food package or cash is also a gesture that they are seen and not forgotten. This gesture might impact a person’s life more than the gift they received, and I’m thankful we can make such a vital difference.’ 

This story is part of Dorcas’ human rights campaign. Read more stories and statements on our dedicated human rights page. dorcas.org/humanrights

Joost is Inclusive Entrepreneurship Expert at Dorcas.

Joost: ‘Young people live in a rapidly changing world. Social media has opened their eyes to a dazzling array of opportunities. But for most youth in poorer countries, such chances are pipe dreams as they struggle to find work and live with the impact of challenges like political instability and climate change. Some of them choose to migrate in the hope of a better future, but all too often, their dreams are dashed.’
 
‘In my experience, many young adults are willing to explore local employment opportunities but want better options than their parents had. For instance, farming is only attractive if there are excellent connections with the market, access to technology and a stronger position in the supply chain. However, even if such opportunities come their way, young people often lack the skills they need to grab them.’ 

‘Dorcas therefore runs education and training programmes to support vulnerable youth find local paid work or start their own business. For example, from 2016 to 2021, I was involved in the Employable Youth in Ethiopia (EYE) programme. This partnership between international and local stakeholders provided technical and vocational training and micro enterprise development relevant to the local market to over 20,000 young people in Southern Ethiopia. When they graduated, a job and business mediation service helped them find work locally or start their own business instead of migrating elsewhere in search of a better life.’

This story is part of Dorcas’ human rights campaign. Read more stories and statements on our dedicated human rights page. dorcas.org/humanrights/