Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) President Fatma Meriç Yılmaz said Kızılay is launching new projects in Syria to address the needs of war victims, particularly targeting women and disadvantaged groups.
“Together with the Syrian Red Crescent, we are initiating projects targeting women, disadvantaged groups, psychosocial support and minor home repairs,” Yılmaz told Turkish daily Sabah on Tuesday.
“However, this is just the beginning, and we must think long term while adapting to daily and weekly developments to diversify our services," she said.
Since the Syrian crisis began, Kızılay has been pivotal in delivering aid, working closely with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) to help those in need. The organization has expanded its operations, providing support in regions like Aleppo, Manbij and Tal Rifaat, in addition to its ongoing efforts in Afrin, Azez, Jarablus and Idlib. The expansion came thanks to the fall of the Bashar Assad regime in the country.
Through its Border Assistance Program, Kızılay has offered meals, food supplies and beverages to Syrians returning voluntarily. By December, the organization had distributed over 15,000 food parcels, 584,000 food items, and 10.6 million kilograms (23.37 million pounds) of flour, reaching more than 566,000 individuals. It also provided winter assistance to 386,816 people, clean water and hygiene kits to 127,152 and diapers and other essentials to 52,770.
Despite these efforts, Yılmaz stressed the enormity of the task ahead. “Syrians will rebuild their homes and lives from scratch, but they need a lifeline,” she said. “No single country, including Türkiye, can singlehandedly rebuild a nation devastated by such immense destruction. Countries like Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, which have pledged their support, will provide funding. Türkiye will transform that into action with its operational expertise.”
