Humanitarian Work in the Middle East
The Middle East refers to the Arab states located in the Near East. A distinction is made between core countries of the Middle East, such as Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan, and neighboring countries that are generally considered part of the Middle East, such as the Eurasian state of Türkiye and the North African state of Egypt.
Prolonged violence and political instability are the triggers for the humanitarian crisis that continues to affect large parts of the Middle East today. Fighting in Syria and Iraq has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and the displacement of millions more. This high number of refugees is also placing a strain on neighboring countries that are providing shelter to these people. Many people in Syria, Iraq, Türkiye, and Lebanon are dependent on humanitarian aid.
Our work in the Middle East focuses primarily on helping refugees and displaced persons, as well as supporting overburdened medical and social structures in the respective host countries.
How we help locally
As medical and social structures in many countries in the Middle East are severely overburdened due to the refugee situation, we are focusing primarily on healthcare and emergency aid for displaced persons and host communities. Our aim is to ensure basic medical care for people and improve the strained situation on the ground.
Among other things, we are setting up mobile health stations where additional patients can be treated and deploying mobile medical teams with an ambulance. We are also strengthening the population's preventive health care capacities through health and hygiene campaigns. In addition, we are training specialist staff and procuring medicines and medical supplies to ensure that health centers can provide better and faster care for displaced persons and the local population. In Iraq, we are now working on rebuilding the region in some areas.
Our work in the Middle East
Our focus in the Middle East
Help for Refugees
Wars, conflicts, and violent clashes repeatedly force people to leave their homes. In the Middle East, our work focuses particularly on help for refugees due to the fighting in Syria and Iraq. Learn more about refugees and displacement.
Civil war in Syria
War has been raging in Syria since 2011: more than half a million people have lost their lives and around 12 million have been forced to flee their homes. Displaced people are fleeing within Syria or to neighboring countries. Learn more about the civil war in Syria.
