Children's Charity battles to safeguard the vulnerable as Syria's bloody battle worsens

The situation in Syria has become more difficult during the month of Ramadan. As the bloody battle continues between forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and those opposed to his rule, children and innocent civilians are caught up in the fighting, suffering the real plight of this war.

SOS Children, the world’s largest orphan charity, has been working in Syria since 1980.  There are two SOS Children's Villages in Syria, one in Qodsaya, 8 kilometres from the capital Damascus and one in Aleppo, as well as two SOS Youth Homes, one SOS Nursery and one SOS Social Centre.

Children’s lives are becoming increasingly at risk as fighting increases.

Andrew Cates, CEO of SOS Children UK says: “We are doing all we can to safeguard the children in our care and ensure that they come to no ill harm. Their lives have been uprooted and they are scared. For many they just want to go home, even if home is unsafe.”

The area of the SOS Children’s Village in Qodsaya is considered to be dangerous; it is the scene of daily fighting between the opposition army and the Syrian army. Children and their SOS mothers evacuated the Village and are living in the regional office in Damascus, considered, for the time being, more secure than any other place.

Currently the Village is unharmed; however, it is feared daily that the opposition army will enter the empty Village and use it as a shelter. 

The SOS Children’s Village in the city Aleppo is not targeted by any party but in war time errors know no excuses. The city has witnessed serious battles during the past weeks and its infrastructure has been damaged. The situation is getting more and more difficult and out of control. Every day brings something new.

SOS Children is looking into finding apartments to accommodate all children with their mothers, as roads are not safe enough to evacuate the children from Aleppo to Damascus.

Read more about SOS Children's work in Syria.