Refugee Fund
2021 marks 10 years since the conflict in Syria began; millions have been displaced, hundreds of thousands have been killed, and an estimated 13 million people still need humanitarian aid.
Fund partners
What’s happening on the ground?
86,000
Syrians have suffered wounds leading to amputation since the conflict began (WHO)
In 2015 alone,
3,030
migrants died while attempting to reach safety in European shores (IOM)
How are we helping?
Our Refugee Fund actively supports two key partners – the National Syrian Project for Prosthetic Limbs (NSPPL) and Sea Watch - who are doing essential work to provide support on the ground. Our fund focuses on three main aspects: search and rescue, amputees and mental health support.
One Family previously partnered with Refugee Rescue who were founded in response to the inadequate search and rescue provision when thousands of displaced people began arriving on Lesvos. Based on the island’s north shores, the rescue team used a specialist ex-RNLI speedboat to quickly reach those in peril.
We now partner with Sea Watch, who conduct civil search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea with their air and land fleets.
The National Syrian Project for Prosthetic Limbs (NSPPL) was founded by Syrian doctors. The current centre in Reyhanli, Turkey, provides consultations to both adult and child amputees. With the support of One Family, the NSPPL has fitted 7,500 prosthetics and orthotics to 5,556 patients to date.
Syrian refugees experience all kinds of trauma due to the brutality of war and the uncertainty of migration and resettlement. Currently, four million of Syria’s 5.6 million displaced people reside in Turkey, but their troubles are far from over. Our partnership with Maya Vakfi helps provides mental health support to Syrian refugees.
Meet Rayyan
Rayan was just five years old when she lost both legs following a car bomb in Zamalka, Syria. She suffered severe bone and nerve damage as well as horrific injuries to her abdomen and lower back. Both legs had to be amputated to save her life, and she spent two months in intensive care.Rayan also suffered severe psychological wounds that led her pull out her hair and self-harm. In a further cruel twist, an airstrike overhead caused more problems when rubble fell on her. Eventually, she and her father left Syria and arrived in Turkey where she underwent a series of treatments. While adapting to life with two prosthetic legs, Rayan will need further plastic surgery on her abdomen in future, as well as continuing therapy. Meanwhile, five years on, her father’s only wish is for his daughter regain happiness and live like others her age.
