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Shelter and Food Emergency Response

Ongoing

Relieving food insecurity, meeting shelter and WASH needs, and promoting agency for displaced populations

Location(s)

Syria

Dates

2021-2025

Funder

USAID, Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance

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The Shelter and Food Emergency Response Program (SAFER), now in its third iteration, builds on previous work, SEFSP (2013-2021) and SIS (2018-2020) programs, to reduce the vulnerability of people affected by conflict in formal and informal displacement settlements across northeast Syria.

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Strengthening Food Security

SAFER activities promote food security for displaced families. We provide high-quality, locally or regionally sourced flour to local bakeries to make fresh bread daily. This bread is distributed at camps and informal settlements every day, free-of-charge.

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Addressing Humanitarian Needs

Since 2018, we have provided emergency humanitarian support for conflict-affected internally displaced people and refugees living in formal and informal settlements in northeast Syria. Teams coordinate with camp administrators, local authorities, and other humanitarian actors to address urgent needs and respond to gaps, ensuring an equitable provision of services.

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To support maintenance and repair activities, Blumont hires daily laborers from the camps population, creating economic opportunities for residents. Our team also distributes heaters, cooking fuel, and other household items in formal and informal settlements in response to emerging needs.

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Prioritizing WASH

For cleaner living spaces and healthier lives, we have expanded our WASH services and awareness efforts in displacement camps. Families receive essential hygiene supplies and menstrual management kits. We maintain sewage and solid waste systems and work with other camp-based partners to extend access to clean water through water network management and rehabilitation.

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Engaging Communities and Building Cohesion

Our teams help residents build connections amidst displacement. We engage camp communities in decision-making and participation to promote accountability and representation. Committees and inclusive activities provide opportunities for residents to learn, develop leadership skills, and have a voice in their community. Efforts focus on improving representation of the most vulnerable, including youth, women, people with disabilities, minority groups, and the elderly.

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Restoring Agriculture and Livelihoods

While SAFER operates in displacement camps and informal settlements in 2024-2025, in previous years, we also supported host communities in the region. Through our partnerships with local bakeries and shops, families had access to discounted fresh bread and could buy produce, meat, and dairy with supplementary food vouchers.

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Food security was also supported through home vegetable garden and smallholder farmer initiatives. Our agriculture team rolled out more than 1,000 home vegetable gardens with drip irrigation systems to improve dietary diversity. Families were trained on cultivation techniques, given toolkits to effectively manage their gardens, and provided with seeds. To recover agricultural livelihoods, smallholder farmers received agricultural inputs and training to grow wheat and barley on one to three hectares of land. After trainings in 2020, the barley harvest was two times the normal yield and wheat harvest increased by 1.5 times.