As the conflict and violence in Syria continues to escalate, the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is increasing its efforts to assist the people affected or displaced by war.
Last March the MCC appealed for assistance hoping to collect $500,000 in cash donations as well as relief kits to assist its partner organizations in Syria as they provide humanitarian aid.
So far $310,000 has been received. In May MCC packed and shipped a container of blankets, infant care kits and relief kits directly from its Kitchener warehouse. The contents which were donated by communities across Ontario have now been entirely exhausted and the agency is once again appealing for donations.
“The ongoing conflict is producing internally placed people and refugees in Syria and we (MCC) have the opportunities to work across the conflict line in the conflicted area and send relief supplies,” said Rick Cober Bauman, executive director at MCC Ontario. “These material resources are a tangible sign that the rest of the world has not forgotten about Syria and this is a way for us in Ontario to send that kind of message.”
Some 100,000 Syrians have already fled into neighbouring countries, including Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, and the flow of people is increasing daily.
The violence is connected with the widespread wave of upheaval referred to as the “Arab Spring” which began in Tunisia in December of 2010, and spread to Syria a month later.
To date, the organization has shipped 2,700 relief kits, 8,000 hygiene kits, 10,300 blankets and 14,300 school kits to refugee camps in Jordan.
The material resources are distributed through partner organizations and local committees with people on both sides of the political conflict, ensuring it gets to those who need it most.
The MCC has also increased its support for disaster preparedness and conflict prevention activities in Lebanon where there is tension and potential for the violence to spread. An additional 460 relief kits, 4,200 hygiene kits, 2,300 blankets, 3,000 school kits and 280 infant care kits have been shipped to Lebanon in preparation for a quick response.
MCC and Waterloo Region’s Syrian community have cooperated on relief efforts, including a recent fundraiser in Kitchener.
“We are very fortunate that the Syrian community in KW have found MCC as an organization which they want to contribute through,” said Bauman. “People from Syria that live in the region are able to make a tangible positive contribution to their home community and have been involved in packing kits and the container.”
Anyone interested in making a cash donation can contact MCC Ontario at 61 Kent Ave. in Kitchener, 519-745-8458. They will also accept relief kit donations, and you can visit their website to learn how to assemble one, https://ontario.mcc.org.
