Qatar Charity Implements Relief Programme for Syrian Families in Turkey

Doha, July 03 (QNA) - Vice-Chairman of Qatar Charity's Board of Directors Abdullah Bin Hussein Al-Nimah stressed that Qatar Charity will spare no effort in supporting the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Turkey, noting that Qatar Charity had already started coordination with a number of Turkish organizations and charities to carry out a relief programme, which includes the provision of food items, and means of living for the families that took refuge in Turkish villages.
Mr. Al-Nimah said, during an inspection visit to the Syrian refugees on the Turkish-Syrian border, that Qatar Charity will send a delegate to Turkish associations and charitable organizations to co-ordinate the delivery of necessary support and assistance to Syrian refugees in Turkish villages, especially those who have taken refuge in homes of Turkish families, instead of going to the Turkish Red Crescent camps.
During his needs assessment visit, Al-Nimah met with Mayor of Joache villag who confirmed that more than 60 families, mostly from Jisr A Shoghoor, took refuge in the village and were hosted by Turkish families. Al-Nimah assessed with the Mayor and a number of officials from charitable organizations the immediate needs of refugee families, especially the needs of children and women. In return, Joache village Mayor expressed his gratitude for the visit of the Qatar Charity delegation, stressing that he and all the people of the village were doing everything they could to provide shelter, food, and mattresses for Syrian displaced families. He said that for more than 60 days now his main concern had been to ensure that all the needs of Syrian families not only in his village but also in the neighboring villages and on the border. Many families were still waiting on the Syrian side of the border and did not cross to the Turkish territory yet.
Mr. Al-Nimah also met with Mayor of Nishreen village, where more than 50 Syrian families
from the village of Khirbet Al Goaz took refuge. He discussed with the Mayor how to deliver aid to Syrian displaced families in the village and neighboring villages. Praising the efforts of Qatar Charity in supporting Syrian refugees in Turkey and Lebanon, the Mayor confirmed that the visit of Qatar Charity delegation was the first visit by a non-Turkish charity to his village. He pointed out that there were hundreds of Syrian families who preferred not to go to the Turkish Red Crescent camps and took refuge with Turkish families instead, especially those families with Turkish relatives. He estimated the number of Syrian refugees outside the camps, to around 5,000 refugees, mostly women and children.
During his needs assessment visit, Al-Nimah met with a number of Syrian refugee families in Turkey, and asked them about their immediate needs. Some noted
that their most immediate needs were food, mattresses and blankets. Turkish families have suitable homes for hosting the refugees, but could not afford the cost of hosting those families.
Qatar Charity has allocated more than half a million Riyals as a first payment for this relief campaign for Syrian families in Turkey. The charity will launch a fundraising campaign to provide further support and help to the Syrian refugees in Turkey. A delegate from the charity will visit Turkey to coordinate aid delivery with officials from Turkish charitable organizations and villagers who are hosting Syrian families.
A few weeks ago, Qatar Charity began sending emergency relief aid to Syrian refugees in the North Lebanese-Syrian border areas in cooperation with three Lebanese charities; namely the Islamic Guidance and Reform Charitable Organization, Al-Thiqah Society for Charitable Social Work and Zakat House. Qatar Charity allocated an initial 400,000 Riyals for this purpose. (QNA)