Shai Fund Responds to Humanitarian Crisis in Northeast Syria with Emergency Aid

(al-Qamishli, Syria — August 24 ,2025) In response to the urgent humanitarian crisis unfolding in Northeast Syria, Shai Fund in close coordination with the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) has delivered critical emergency aid to 4,311 displaced families, totaling 20,642 individuals, across Nawroz Camp and multiple internally displaced persons (IDP) locations in al-Qamishli.

The intervention represents a significant expansion of the original emergency plan. Initially, the project aimed to support 1,120 families in Nawroz Camp. However, after on-the-ground consultations and a sharp rise in humanitarian need, especially among Afrin IDPs, Shai Fund broadened the operation to reach displaced communities across 22 distribution points in Nawroz Camp and al-Qamishli. That represents a 285% increase in families that received aid than originally planned. 

The emergency aid, in response to rapidly escalating needs, specifically targeted:

• Immediate food insecurity and hygiene-related vulnerabilities.
• Infant nutrition gaps among displaced families.
• Safe food preparation for those living in makeshift shelters.

Beginning in February 2025, distributions included 2,740 food parcels, 1,050 hygiene kits, 524 infant milk packages, and 259 gas burners—lifesaving items that addressed acute shortages and helped preserve dignity, health, and safety for the Arab and Kurdish Muslim recipients. 

A young couple living in one of the collective centers remarked, “We felt respected. The packages were not just helpful, but they were also delivered with care and dignity.” 

This relief operation underscores both the severity of the crisis and the importance of adaptive, partner-driven humanitarian action. 

“Amid the aftermath of Syria’s recent civil war, thousands of displaced families were caught in deteriorating conditions,” said Charmaine Hedding, President of Shai Fund. “By working with our partners in DAANES, we were able to rapidly scale this response and bring practical, life-sustaining aid to the most vulnerable.”

Shai Fund remains deeply committed to walking with all communities in Syria. It has coordinated over $9 million in aid this year alone across Syria, offering both immediate relief and long-term hope in regions where few others can reach.

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