IOM Syria Crisis Regional Response Sitrep (13 to 29 August)
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IOM Regional Response to the Syria Crisis IOM Regional Response to the Syria Crisis SITUATION REPORT 131 - February29 August 20132013 27 Psychosocial professionals and volunteers were trained on ‘Puppetry for Social Dialogue’ in Damascus. To date, IOM has trained 182 professionals and community workers from various governorates in Syria in mental health and psychosocial consid- erations.© IOM 2013 HIGHLIGHTS Since March 2011, IOM has provided Syria: IOM distributed 14,264 NFIs including hygiene assistance to over 1.5 million vulnerable and house cleaning kits, jerry cans, and baby diapers migrants, IDPs, refugees and communi- to 41,448 affected beneficiaries in Homs, Damascus, ties affected by the humanitarian crisis Rural Damascus, Idleb, Hama, and Latakia. in Syria. IOM provides assistance to affected communities in Syria, Iraq, Leb- Iraq: IOM transported 37,073 Syrian refugees from anon, Jordan, Turkey, and Egypt. IOM Peshkhabour and Sehela border crossings to reach staff is being sensitized to heightened camps and transit sites in Dahuk, Erbil and Sulay- security risk levels and threats. Despite a maniyah. marked deterioration of security across the region in the past two weeks which Jordan: IOM transported 1,454 Syrian refugees has impacted operations particularly from Raba’ al Sarhan to EJC (69) and Za’atri camp inside Syria and Lebanon, IOM was able (1,385). IOM has provided transportation assistance to provide humanitarian assistance to to 333,876 Syrian refugees since July 2012. over 85,000 vulnerable individuals. IOM ▼ Situation Report – 29 August 2013 1 IOM OPERATIONS IN SYRIA Non-Food Item (NFI) Distribu- tion: From 13 to 27 August, IOM distributed 14,264 NFIs including hygiene and house cleaning kits, jerry cans, and baby diapers to 41,448 affected beneficiaries in Homs, Damas- cus, Rural Damascus, Idleb, Ha- ma, and Latakia. IOM staff worked alongside representa- tives from Orthodox Charity, Syria Trust, Al Faihaa Associa- Since July, IOM has trained 102 shelter managers in Damascus, Rural Damascus, Tar- tion, and Syrian Arab Red Cres- tous, and Homs. © IOM 2013 (Photo: IOM Syria) cent (SARC) to ensure quick and efficient delivery of assistance to the most vulnerable beneficiaries. On 26 August, cial Development (SSSD) trained 27 professionals distributions in Rural Damascus were cancelled due to and volunteers on ‘Puppetry for Social Dialogue’ in insecurity. Damascus. The participants were from the SSSD, the Children Culture Directorate, Ministry of Educa- IOM is finalizing the rehabilitation of a warehouse in tion, SARC, Faculty of Education, Terre Des Tartous. IOM will preposition items in Tartous to assist Hommes (TDH), International Medical Corps (IMC), the Organization to respond quickly and effectively to UNRWA, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch needs reported in the area. Tartous, is a port city, lo- (GOPA), Danish Refugee Council (DRC), volunteers cated in close proximity to the Syrian-Lebanese border. from Good Sheperd NGO and local community vol- unteers from Damascus, Homs, and Quamishly. Since January 2013, IOM has assisted over 277,472 After the training, participants commented that IDPs in 12 governorates in Syria through the provision they were now equipped to use puppetry as a of 89,307 NFI kits including mattresses, blankets, clean- counseling medium and they had leant how to use ing items, insecticides, baby diapers, kitchen sets, un- their voices and body language when working with derwear, jerry cans, and disability support items. IOM children. plans to reach 500,000 IDPs by the end of 2013. Since July 2013, IOM has trained 102 shelter managers Psychosocial Support to Affected Communities: IOM in Damascus, Rural Damascus, Tartous and Homs on provides operational assistance and training to in- how to protect and promote the psychosocial wellbe- crease/build the capacity of professionals and volun- ing of the residents in the day-to-day activities of the teers to provide psychosocial support to people affect- shelter. Shelter managers report that they observe ed by the crisis in Syria. stress reactions amongst the residents of the collective shelters such as fatigue, stress, and insomnia. Some- During the reporting period, IOM staff ran 2 work- times the stress may be caused by the conditions of the shops: centers, and the way their services are organized. · Training of Trainers (18 – 22 August): On 22 August, To date, IOM has trained 182 professionals and com- IOM completed the training of 15 professional munity workers from various governorates in Syria in trainers to deliver supportive communication, ac- mental health and psychosocial considerations, who tive listening and self-care workshops to NGO front- have provided assistance to over 42,000 men, women, line workers. These professionals will organize and children affected by the crisis. training workshops in Homs, Aleppo, and Lattakia; 910 frontline workers will benefit from this pro- Identification and Assessment of Emergency Collective gramme. Shelters for Rehabilitation: During the reporting period, IOM staff completed technical assessments of 18 shel- · Training on Art-Based Interventions (21 – 25 August): ters in Rural Damascus that accommodate 412 IDP IOM, with the support of the Syrian Society for So- households (2,644 beneficiaries). IOM ▼ Situation Report – 29 August 2013 2 SYRIA OPERATIONS cont. Repair and rehabilitation of 42 collective shelters is on- and 107 children). going in Homs (20), Hama (9), Latakia (7), and Damas- cus (6). The shelters under repair accommodate 2,925 Resettlement Assistance for Refugees from Syria: IDP households (14,680 individuals). Progress reports From 13 to 27 August, IOM provided resettlement as- indicate that repair and rehabilitation of almost 60% of sistance to 291 refugees from Iraq (117), Palestine (7), the 42 shelters is complete. Somalia (7), and 4 Syrian nationals married to Iraqi and Palestian refugees. The refugees were assisted to trav- Since January 2013, IOM has identified 342 collective el to Australia (125), Canada (88), United States of shelters and completed technical assessments of 97 America (65), New Zealand (11), and Finland (2). Since shelters in 4 governorates. According to the SARC, the January 2013, IOM has provided resettlement assis- number of displaced population in Syria has reached tance to 4,061 refugees who have been escorted by 4.25 million with 147,000 IDPs living in over 829 shel- road from Damascus to Beirut and flown out of Rafic ters. Hariri International Airport. IOM is planning to assist 1,600 refugees before January 2014. Repatriation to Stranded Migrants: IOM provides as- sistance to vulnerable stranded migrants to leave Syria and return to their countries of origin. From 13 to 27 August, IOM provided repatriation assistance to 148 stranded migrants, including 118 adults and 21 chil- dren to return to the Philippines (96), South Sudan (16), Yemen (15), Sudan (12), Ethiopia (4), and Moldo- va (5). During the reporting period, IOM teams report- ed delays at the Masnaa border crossing into Lebanon as there is an influx of refugees leaving Syria as a result of the escalation of violence in Damascus. IOM has a remaining caseload of 658 stranded migrants who re- Accommodation and toilet blocks were delivered to a col- quire assistance to leave Syria. Since January 2013, lective Center in Latakia, that accommodates over 5,000 IOM has assisted 636 stranded migrants (473 adults IDPs. © IOM 2013 (Photo: IOM Syria) Ahmed’s Story. During a visit to the Sport City Collective Shelter in Latakia City, that ac- commodates over 5,000 IDPs, IOM staff noticed a ten year old boy in ob- vious distress who was screaming at his mother. Ahmed, a Syrian IDP, who suffers from a hearing impediment, is struggling to adjust to living at the center. His mother explains that for many months she was unable to communicate with her son as she left his hearing aid behind in their home on the night they fled (4 August 2012). She told staff that the night they were forced to leave their home in Oubin she was panicking and did not have time to search for the aid as she was desperately trying to get her 7 children out the house and to safety. It was a number of months before a local charity were able to secure a replacement hearing aid, during those months it was difficult to explain to Ahmed what had happened to his home and his school and his friends. He still believes that his house and Ahmed (age 10) school are waiting for him in Oubin (Alhaffah District) and he cannot un- derstand why the family remains at the collective center. Ahmed and his family are completely depend- ent on food, NFI, and shelter assistance provided at the center as the family relied on income generated from the produce from their farm which they can no longer access. In 2013, IOM has distributed almost 9,400 NFI kits in the Sport City in Latakia. The kits include baby dia- pers, underwear, house cleaning items, insecticides, and the disability kits include wheel chairs and portable toilets for IDPs with limited mobility. At the center, IOM has installed 60 prefab accommoda- tion units (each unit accommodates 3 families), and 49 toilet and shower units. 7,000 IDPs will benefit from improved facilities and services once the repair and rehabilitation work being carried out by IOM is complete in early September. IOM ▼ Situation Report – 29 August 2013 3 IRAQ OPERATIONS A Syrian family from Al Hasaka. They crossed into Iraq on 16 Au- gust after waiting to cross at the border for six days. Now they are living in a building under construc- tion. © IOM 2013 (Photo: IOM Iraq) Assistance to Syrian Refugees to reach Camps and Vulnerability and Needs Assessments in Ninewa: Transit Sites from the Border: Since 15 August, IOM From 18 to 25 August, IOM, in coordination with local has arranged over 1,500 trips to transport 37,073 Syri- authorities in Zumar sub-district, assessed 50 families an refugees from Sehela and Peshkhabour border (420 individuals) to identify families eligible to receive crossings to camps and transit sites in Dahuk, Erbil and NFI assistance.