1

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent is a lead organization coordinating Red Cross Red Crescent Movement activities and overall humanitarian efforts in the midst of an armed conflict that affects millions of people.

Actually, the SARC at the present moment is basically the only organization working in the whole of Syria. Certainly, it’s making the best of its efforts together with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and friend national societies to have impartial and independent aid coming to all people who need it. The SARC having involved in humanitarian impartiality and neutrality, always seeking the people in need and helping them.

For latest news and information contact:

Vivian Tou’meh,SARC Communication CoordinatorSyrian Arab Red Crescent Organization

Abou Roumaneh- Shakib Arslan Str.Tel.: +963 11 3327645Fax: +963 11 3327695e-mail: : sarc@net.syor visit our website: www.sarc.sy

follow the SARC on: https://www.facebook.com/RedCrescentSYhttps://twitter.com/SYRedCrescent

Syrian Arab Red Crescent March 2014

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent president visit SARC’s Homs branch

In March, Dr. Abdul Rahman Attar, the SARC president, visited SARC’s Homs branch offices and hospital to see new ways of possible support.

Support visits ....................................................

UN aid chief Amos in a visit to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent

Valerie Amos, the under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs paid a visit to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and met with Dr. Abdul Rahman Attar at SARC’s headquarters in Damascus on the 11th of January.

During her visit, Amos visited one of the distribution points of Rural Damascus branch in Jaramana city and met with some of the communities face to face and informed on their situation. She also was briefed about the challenges and difficulties SARC’s volunteers are facing on the ground.

Amos expressed her feeling towards SARC volunteers who lost their lives in the line of duty, and her admiration and appreciation for the efforts of SARC’s volunteers and their dedicated work.

The German Red Cross in a visit to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent

Dr. Rudolf Seiters , the President of the German Red Cross and his colleague Dr. Johannes Richert, Director Int./National Relief visited three SARC centers in Damascus.

Dr. Attar escort the GRC team to the (central relief center) in Damascus where they met the volunteers and briefed about the registration and distribution processes and checked the quality of the food parcels, hygiene kits and kitchen kits sent by GRC to SARC . The team also checked the heavy duty trucks sent by GRC to SARC.The GRC visited the operation center in al-Zahira in Damascus and met with first aiders.HS. Annette Kohlmeier, the German Red Cross/Norwegian Red Cross Delegate to Syria explained to the visitors how the coordination between the two national societies is growing up.

Peter Maurer, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross in a second visit to Damascus

The ICRC President Peter Maurer has spent three days in Syria assessing the humanitarian situation and negotiating greater field access for the ICRC and the SARC. He stressed his intention to «talk to representatives of the government of Syria to see ways and means to increase the operation,» emphasizing that «the needs today are much bigger than abilities to assist people.»

During his visit, Mr. Maurer with his colleagues Mr. Robert Mardini, the ICRC Head of operations for the Near and Middle East, Mr. Magne Barth, the outgoing Head of the

2

Italian Red Cross President Francesco Rocca in a visit to Syria

Mr Francesco Rocca, President of the Italian Red Cross and Vice-President of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies (IFRC), paid a visit for a three-day mission to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent on the eve of the third year anniversary of the beginning of the crisis, launched an call on behalf of the IFRC for stronger international support to the SARC and for the protection and respect of volunteers and aid workers who are risking their lives in the effort of saving others.

The SARC is reaching more than 2,500,000 beneficiaries through the distribution food parcels each month, in addition SARC distributing non-food items, providing health care and psycho-social support, thereby reaching a total number of more than 3 million people in need.

Since January 2014, several areas entered into local ceasefire thereby enabled the SARC teams to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid and services in all 14 Syrian governorates, where the population lives under extreme duress.

In the old city of Homs

The Old City of Homs became accessible for few days. In cooperation with UN agencies United Nations representatives from WFP, UNHCR, IOM, WHO, UNICEF and OCHA.. SARC Homs branch managed to evacuate 1,266 individuals and also managed to distribute humanitarian assistance to people who went out and to people inside the Old City of Homs.

The SARC Homs branch response to the Old City of Homs continued for six days from the 7th till 12th of February 2014. The response was implemented in two phases:

1- Evacuation of people from the Old City of Homs. SARC teams received the people who came out and provided them with 1,266 fruit parcels, 1,266 mineral water, 1,266 fruit juice, 434 sanitary napkins, 680 canned food, 1,266 blankets, 500 mattresses, 200 food parcels, 122 hygiene and 64 wheel chairs.

All evacuees received medical consultations via the Mobile Health Units with the help of IOM doctors. First Aid teams took care of 30 injured; nine of them were further transferred to local hospitals, including a pregnant woman in need of surgery. In addition, they transferred 12 disabled persons to al-Andalus shelter.

2- Entering to the Old City of Homs with aid: Aid materials were also delivered to the old city of Homs during the evacuation process. The teams managed to hand out 495 food parcels, 190 hygiene kits, medicines for chronic diseases, vaccines, 30 boxes of water purification materials and 245 bags of flour.

Crossing Frontlines .............................................................................................................................................

3

ICRC delegation in Syria and Mr. Boris Michel, the ICRC incoming Head of Delegation together with Dr. Abdul Rahman Attar, the President of the SARC attended the General Water Yearly Meeting in Damascus and met with the volunteers from the water and sanitation teams from the fourteen SARC’s branches.Dr. Attar thanked the ICRC and Mr. Feras Farras, SARC Water and Sanitation project coordinator and the volunteers who fortunately were being able to attend in spite of all the hard conditions.Mr. Maurer said: “I am very satisfied about the cooperation between the SARC and the ICRC and particularly I proud of all of you (SARC volunteers), of what you are doing throughout Syria in very challenging circumstances”. He continues: “Outside, whenever I am travelling throughout the world, I am speaking very highly about the SARC and how the SARC and ICRC water program is one of the best models of how we deal with critical humanitarian issues”.

In Rural Damascus: Beit Sahem, Babila and Yalda

The SARC Disaster Response teams of Damascus branch and Rural Damascus branch worked for four continuously days to deliver and distribute 6,650 food parcels to vulnerable populations in Beit Sahem, Babila and Yalda in the Rural of Damascus with a support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies (IFRC) and the World food Program (WFP).

A total of 5,450 families out of 12,000 families registered by SARC volunteers benefited from this distribution in these areas.

In addition, a total of 1,700 people were evacuated from these areas during the four days response, 460 people received medical consultations via the Mobile Health Units and 10 families had been reunited.

In Douma city

The SARC teams together with a delegation from the World Food program (WFP), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) entered aid materials to Douma city for two times in March and attested the humanitarian situation inside the city.

A total of: 1600 food parcels, 2,821 hygiene kits, 1,000 baby diapers, 1,008 sanitary napkins, 2,000 plastic rolls, 80 boxes of soap, 40 boxes of peanut butter, 80 boxes of high energy biscuit, 177 bottles, baby milk, medical supplies, 0.5 (Reproductive health) RH kit 2A to be used by the pregnant woman and one (Reproductive health) RH kit 2B to be used by the Midwife were delivered in the two responses.

In Yarmouk camp:

The SARC response to help the people in Yarmouk camp started on the 19th January and continued throughout February in cooperation with the Palestinian Red Crescent.The first aid teams of SARC Damascus Branch and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society took care of women, children and injured who came out from the besieged Yarmouk camp.Out of 14 attempts, 10 succeeded. SARC Damascus branch first aid teams ultimately were able to evacuate 1,526 people.

In Barzeh:

Barzeh, another area of concern for the SARC, has been out of reach for humanitarian assistance for over a year. The SARC teams were finally able to enter three convoys of aid assistance to local residents during the first three months of this year. A total of 8,000 food parcels, 4,500 canned food, 2,500 kids hygiene kits, 3,500 children cloths, 14,000 blankets, 4,000 mattresses, 4,000 mats, 4,000 bottles, 4,000 candles, 8,000 towels, 15,000 soap, 1,500 washing powder, 300 boxes of high energy biscuits, 4,500 hygiene kits, 4,000 kitchen sets were delivered within the three convoys.In addition, the SARC Damascus branch teams brought 2,000 polio vaccines. SARC medical teams led the vaccination process for children inside Barzeh. The vaccinations were carried out without any incidents.

In Deir Ezzor:

In Deir Ezzor, SARC teams delivered essential relief after four months of blockages and continuous fighting.

4