Middle East

Why we work in the Middle East

It’s been seven years since conflict threw Syria into turmoil. Since then, millions of children and their families have been bombed and shot at, and their schools, homes and hospitals have been destroyed. Caught up in this endless battle are children. Some are still inside Syria, trying to survive. Others are in refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon. All have experienced emotional and physiological trauma, which are the invisible wounds of war.

"There are some things you can’t forget," says *Rasha who was 8 years old when she fled her home in Syria.

See how our psychosocial support program is helping rebuild her life:

With conflict come other more visible challenges too. There are shortages of food, water, shelter, access to education and healthcare, and even blankets to keep warm in winter.

Nearby Yemen is also in the midst of a protracted conflict that has placed the lives of millions of children at risk. Cholera has swept through the country – a place where most of the sanitation and healthcare systems have been destroyed, and where around 70% of the population are without enough food to eat. In these conditions, cholera is deadly for children.

Save the Children's work in the Middle East

As a global network, Save the Children work in some of the most complex and difficult environments to protect and support children in the Middle East. We deliver programs that improve healthcare, provide access to education, help children heal from trauma and protect them from violence and abuse.

We're working in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon to provide essentials items like food, blankets and shelter, as well as establishing child-friendly spaces where children can start to heal from their wounds. Our Emergency Health Unit is also currently providing life-saving food and treatment to children in Yemen.