1. Migrant Offshore Aid Station
This charity exists to save children like Alan Kurdi, with a fleet of rescue boats patrolling the Mediterranean to save migrants lost at sea.
2. Refugees Welcome
Dubbed as a kind of Airbnb for refugees this German nonprofit matches people with spare rooms with refugees in need of housing. If you dont have a spare bed in Germany, you can still donate here.
3. The Worldwide Tribe in Calais
A group of social activists documenting stories in the Calais migrant camp, they also raise relief funds.
4. Small Projects Istanbul
Provides classes and cultural enrichment and scholarships to Syrian children in Turkey.
5. Karam Foundation
A US-based charity that works in Turkey and is also focused on educational opportunities for Syrian children, currently raising funds to rebuild schools in Syria.
6. Hand in Hand for Syria
One of the few organizations that directly provides aid on the ground in Syria, including food, clothing, water, sanitation and crucial medical assistance to help people to stay in Syria instead of fleeing to another country. They accept donations via their page on JustGiving.com.
SOME SUGGESTIONS FROM OUR REPORTER ON THE GROUND
- The White Helmets: Also known as the Syrian Civil Defence, these rescue workers are some of the first to rush in after the bombs land each day. They're credited with saving more than 22,000 lives so far.
- Watanili: This group is working to rebuild Syria through a series of small grassroots initiatves. A recent project of theirs, called 'Cinema on the Go,' included using film to combat the effects of trauma on the children there.
See more of Dalia Mortada's recommendations here.
As for the bigger organizations, a useful tool to consider when evaluating them is their ranking on independent charity watchdog sites like GuideStar or Charity Navigator which evaluate what percentage of donations go directly toward aid versus overhead, among other factors.
Charity Navigator has a list of highly ranked charities currently helping Syrian refugees. We reached out to them to find out more about they are doing and will update this as we get responses.
International Medical Corps
International Medical Corps has had teams on the ground providing direct medical assistance to Syrian refugees in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. One example of their work: In the Turkish city of Gaziantep, not from the war torn Syrian city of Aleppo, IMC helps run a service center for Syrian refugees that provides medical care, classes and job training.
IMC spokesperson Rebecca Gustafson says the group hasnt seen any increase in donations to their Syria response efforts, but their work to help those affected by the conflict continues and is more critical than ever.
Medical Teams International
Medical Teams International focuses on health and dental care for Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Their volunteers monitor chronic disease patients in their homes and provide families and communities with vital information on chronic disease recognition, management and disease prevention.
