In dramatic situations the Order of Malta is supporting stricken families as hostility escalates

From the cities of Hama, Homs and Idlib, many hundreds of families are fleeing for survival and safety in Aleppo and Damascus. “People have fled in haste, leaving their possessions behind. They are desperate and destitute. The hosting families in Damascus are running out of resources, and won’t be able to support them for much longer,” reports Ingo Radtke, Secretary General of Malteser International, the Worldwide Relief Agency of the Order of Malta for Humanitarian Aid. “Under these circumstances, it’s highly unlikely that these displaced families will be able to return to their homes anytime soon.”

Malteser International is distributing thousands of start-up kits – blankets, mattresses, towels, pillows kitchen utensils, and for those most in need, special hygiene kits of soap, diapers and wound care ointment for babies – and operating through its long-standing local partner, the International Blue Crescent (IBC). “Once again, we can respond to the urgent needs of the victims, regardless of background or political affiliation – the neutrality and impartiality of our help is of utmost importance,” emphasised Radtke.

In order to ensure access to the areas for distribution, IBC will work together with the Syrian Red Crescent, the only non-governmental organisation officially allowed to provide humanitarian aid in the region.