Shai Fund Brings Clean Water to 11,500 People in Northeast Syria

(al-Qamishli, Syria — November 7, 2025) In partnership with the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), Shai Fund has delivered life-sustaining clean water across Northeast Syria to 11,516 individuals from vulnerable ethnoreligious communities including Yezidi, Kurdish, and Syriac-Orthodox Christian families through the strategic deployment of water purification systems across four high-need sites.  

Launched as part of the Northeast Syria Water Purification Initiative, this project responds to years of drought, conflict, and collapsing infrastructure by delivering a sustainable, community-driven solution to rising water insecurity and health risks. Many families previously relied on contaminated wells or expensive trucked water, making them highly vulnerable to dehydration and disease especially among children, widows, and the elderly. 

By installing 12 manual NUF500 water purification systems at schools, community centers, and multi-generational homes, Shai Fund provided daily access to safe drinking water communities still recovering from the effects of war, drought, and marginalization. Each system produces up to 500 liters of potable water per hour, replacing unsafe wells and costly trucked supplies with a reliable, life-saving source. 

Strategic locations where the systems were installed included:

• The Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Tal Wardiya with 11,000 annual beneficiaries.
• Yezidi households in Khirbet Ghazal benefiting widowed mothers, children, and elderly with wider community benefit through shared access.
• Zalge Kindergarten in Al-Qamishli with 64 children and staff from Kurdish, Christian, and Muslim backgrounds.
• Al-Qamishli Internally Displaced People (IDP) Shelters where 431 displaced Kurdish Muslim individuals living in overcrowded shelters now have access to clean, reliable water. 

Shai Fund’s targeted and community-based approach has built both trust and long-term sustainability. Local teams were trained on maintenance and operation of the systems to ensure sustainability and impact beyond the initial deployment.  

“For years, Yazidi, Kurdish, and Syriac-Orthodox families in Northeast Syria relied on unsafe wells and costly trucked water,” said Charmaine Hedding, President of Shai Fund. “Now, with clean water flowing daily, children are healthier, families are safer, and communities are stronger. 

Shai Fund continues to stand with Syria’s marginalized or displaced people by delivering practical aid that protects dignity and restores hope in the face of overwhelming challenges. 

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For media inquiries, contact McKenzie Hood, Advocacy and Partnerships Manager, at [email protected].