DEC Syria Crisis Appeal reaches £3.4 million
Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal
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Members of the UK public have so far donated a generous £3.4 million to the DEC Syria Crisis Appeal. Over five million people affected by the fighting now need urgent humanitarian aid, with three million of those forced from their homes.
The 14 leading UK charities that are the DEC’s members will use the funds in Syria and the neighbouring countries, to which over one million refugees have fled. They are already providing vital aid such as food, clean water, emergency shelter and medical care. The money that has come in since the first appeals were broadcast on Thursday will enable the DEC members to provide more help to more people.
Fundraising will continue for the DEC appeal as the fighting intensifies and the number of people fleeing their homes and the country continues to increase. There are huge and urgent unmet needs, both in Syria and the surrounding countries as civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.
DEC Chief Executive, Saleh Saeed, said:
“The public is responding with huge generosity to this catastrophic humanitarian crisis. The fighting inside Syria has torn lives apart, forcing people to leave their homes to flee to neighbouring countries.
“This vital fundraising must continue to help save lives and reduce the suffering of Syrian people.”
The DEC Syria Crisis Appeal was launched on Thursday, 21 March with appeals from actor Rufus Sewell as well as actor, writer, comedian and broadcaster Michael Palin, journalist John McCarthy and actress Juliet Stephenson.
The total number of people in need of assistance in Syria and the surrounding countries is more than five million.
More than three million people have been forced to leave their homes by fighting in Syria. Two million have fled to other parts of the conflict-torn country. A further one million have escaped across the border to seek safety in neighbouring countries.
The number of refugees fleeing the country has increased from 1,000 a day at the beginning of the year to more than 8,000 a day.
A further two million people remain trapped in their homes in Syria where the health system has collapsed in many areas, water supplies are disrupted and food is often in short supply.
To make a donation to the DEC Syria Crisis Appeal visit http://www.dec.org.uk, call the 24 hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office, or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.
Stay up to date with developments in Syria, the emergency response and the fundraising efforts with the DEC on twitter:http://twitter.com/decappeal or on Facebook via http://www.facebook.com/DisastersEmergencyCommittee
