OUR STORY
As the world faces growing humanitarian crises, taking action has never been more important. We're on the ground in 14 countries, providing aid, building resilience, and laying the foundations for a better future. The world needs hope; you can help provide it.
STORY
Our journey began in the UK in 2011, soon after the Syrian conflict erupted. Dismayed by the unfolding crisis, a group of Syrian heritage doctors founded Syria Relief to provide urgent aid. Initially seen as a short-term project, we rapidly expanded as the conflict and humanitarian needs escalated, and in 2021, we merged with our parent charity and became Action For Humanity.
MISSION
We are a global NGO with 14 years of experience in crisis response and emergency relief. Formerly known as Syria Relief, we provide vital humanitarian aid to communities affected by conflict, natural disasters, and other crises. Operating in over 14 countries around the world, we have reached 13 million people with life-saving support since 2011. Our mission is clear: to help vulnerable communities survive, rebuild, and recover.VALUES
At Action For Humanity, we strive to mobilise, respond, and restore lives when disaster strikes. Our immediate focus is protecting the most vulnerable people, meeting their basic needs, and transforming lives.
We believe that by being open, honest, and transparent, we foster a climate of trust both within and beyond the organisation. We take full responsibility for our actions and dedicate ourselves to the highest standards of integrity and transparency, ensuring that our work aligns with the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS).
Believe in the Cause
We believe in turning a negative situation into a lasting positive for the people we support. Helping those in need and transforming lives for the better is what drives us.
Work Together
Teamwork is the backbone of our work’s success. We won’t stop until we achieve our vision of a world of crisis-resilient communities.
Give with Grit
Embracing a "gritty" mindset reflects perseverance and passion for our long-term goals. You embody courage, diligence, and resilience, driven by optimism, confidence, and creativity as we set out to change the world.
2023
With the Syria-Turkey earthquake and the crisis in Gaza, we have cultivated unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies, no matter where they are. As we reflect on our accomplishments in 2023, it is evident that our work has not only transformed lives but has also fostered resilience within communities and brought us closer to realising our vision.
2022
In just over a decade, Action For Humanity has tirelessly striven to make a profound difference in the lives of millions. Between 2011 and 2020, our unwavering commitment enabled us to support a staggering 10 million people. However, in 2022, we experienced an extraordinary leap forward as we reached over 4.8 million people in a single year.
2021
Action For Humanity continued to ensure that the pandemic's unprecedented and rapidly emerging challenges did not jeopardise our support for vulnerable people in all regions of our work.
In 2021, we reached 3,510,806 beneficiaries and initiated interventions in the Middle East and South Asia. We also intend to expand into Africa within the coming year. Our interventions in Jordan and Yemen increased exponentially, and we simultaneously sustained our impressive impact in Syria.
2020
This brings us to 2020, which was our most impactful year to date. We continued to establish ourselves as a global leader in providing humanitarian aid in Syria and the region, while beginning to take our experience and expertise in delivering life-saving and life-sustaining projects to other conflict settings.
2019
In 2019, we established ourselves as the global leader in NGO-provided education in Syria by operating 164 schools throughout northern Syria. At the same time, we implemented our first two projects in Bangladesh: 45,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazaar received healthcare from a static healthcare centre set up by Syria Relief, and 893 Rohingya refugees benefitted from 59 permanent shelters.
2018
By 2018, Syria Relief had become the UK’s largest Syrian-focused charity. We helped the Syrian people in both Syria and neighbouring countries through a range of short- and long-term projects. In addition to standard food parcels, Syria Relief achieved a landmark by providing vital non-food items (NFIs) to adults and children in crisis for the first time, helping them to preserve their dignity and humanity.
Basic necessities were provided, including toiletries, household items, sanitary products, baby supplies, stoves and fuels, tents, blankets, and seasonal clothing. Through these NFI projects in 2018, Syria Relief reached 128,595 beneficiaries.
2017
In 2017, Syria Relief provided cooked meals to over 130,000 people needing sustenance. Meanwhile, we distributed food packages to displaced communities across Syria and neighbouring countries. Each package contained supplies of staple foods—enough to feed an average-sized family for a period of one month.
Furthermore, by 2017, we had developed a well-established Orphan Sponsorship Programme, assisting nearly 3,258 vulnerable orphans across Syria receive sponsorship. This project covered all aspects of essential care, including food, clothing, healthcare, and education.
2016
In 2016, Syria Relief launched our long-term agricultural training project. This initiative provided training and livestock to 9,500 households in Deir ez-Zour, Ghouta, Idlib, and Aleppo. Each beneficiary received four vaccinated sheep, a kit containing all the necessary equipment, and sufficient food to raise the animals until they could support themselves.
We operated 47 schools in Syria, providing education to over 14,500 children. Student uniforms, classroom equipment, and school meals were supplied to every child free of charge. Teachers received formal training in teaching, child protection, psychosocial support for children, and first aid.
2015
In 2015, Syria Relief increased its efforts to provide clean water in Syria. These water projects ensured that over 20,000 people gained access to clean water and improved sanitation facilities during that year. In 2015, there was a huge increase in the amount of household and commercial waste dumped in areas surrounding civilian dwellings in Syria. These unofficial waste sites became health hazards.
Syria Relief cleaned this waste in the city of Mara in northwestern Syria as part of our Water & Sanitation programme. We also ordered many metal bins to be made at local metal works, which provided income to local workers.
2014
In 2014, Syria Relief launched its first project in Lebanon. Emergency aid was provided to new and expectant mothers in the Arsal refugee camps, helping over 276,000 women and newborn babies. Syria Relief also became much more active in advocating for the Syrian people. The trustees delivered several talks and presentations at various universities, academic institutions, and the House of Commons.
2013
In 2013, Syria Relief implemented projects worth nearly 3 million pounds to help needy families inside and outside Syria. During this year, we established excellent working relationships with several well-known, reputable national and international charitable organisations, such as Save the Children International. This further helped us enhance our capacity and implement various projects in all key thematic areas.
2012
We continued to grow in the UK and Syria, focusing on providing emergency aid. The escalating war left more people displaced and in need of immediate food and water aid. Syria Relief developed our capacity on the ground to provide aid efficiently, especially in hard-to-reach areas and implemented projects such as distributing cash grants and food aid in Douma and Zamalka, Syria.
