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After Years of Displacement: A New Beginning for People in Northeastern Syria

The civil war has displaced millions of Syrians. Many of them want to return home, but they are facing financial and political obstacles. Together with our partner organizations, we support internally displaced persons and returnees.

People seen from behind. They are wearing vests from the partner organization Heyva Sor a Kurd
The project supports people in Syria in returning safely to their home communities and rebuilding their lives there.

The situation on the ground

The civil war in Syria has forced millions of people to flee. In north-eastern Syria in particular, thousands of internally displaced people are living in difficult conditions. Poverty, high unemployment and limited access to clean water, healthcare and electricity characterise their daily lives. Many would like to return to their hometowns, but without support, making a fresh start is almost impossible.

Counselling, return and prospects

The first step is counselling and support. At Welcome Desks in north-eastern Syria, returnees and internally displaced persons receive personalised support with reintegration and job searches. Families who are ready to return to their hometowns also receive targeted financial assistance.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway in a model village to establish long-term prospects, including the implementation of solar-powered irrigation systems, organic farming and the distribution of seeds and livestock, which are generating new income opportunities. Mobile health teams are teaching the population basic hygiene practices and how to safely use water sources.

Arriving Together

So that return is not just a change of location, but a genuine fresh start, a community centre built from ecological materials will also be established. It will serve as a place of encounter and exchange between returnees and communities.

Projectinfo

Place/Region Northeastern and Northwestern Syria: Hassakah, Qamishli, Afrin, and Aleppo
Partner Volkshilfe Solidarität; Kurdish Red Crescent (KRC) / Heyva Sor a Kurd (HSK); Mesopotamia
Activities
  • Establishing Welcome Desks for returnees and internally displaced persons
  • Providing financial support for families willing to return
  • Promoting solar-powered irrigation and ecological agriculture
  • Deploying mobile health teams
  • Building a community centre to strengthen social cohesion
Duration January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
Budget 122.639 €
Sponsor Aktion Deutschland Hilft

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