The 15th March 2025 marks 14 years since the start of the Syrian civil war and crisis.
To recognise the crisis in Syria, we look back at our longest ShelterBox response to date, in photographs.
For over 14 years, war has affected Syria. ShelterBox started supporting people affected by the Syrian war in 2012, providing shelter and essential items. Over time, we’ve also supported Syrian refugees in Jordan (2012-2013), Iraq (2013-2017), Lebanon (2012-2013), and Greece (2015).
We have supported more than 450,000 people affected by the Syrian crisis since 2012. This includes Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq.
The Syrian civil war
2012
A child and woman walking with their possessions in a refugee camp, Syria 2012.
The war in Syria began with peaceful protests against President Bashar Al Assad. 14 years on, it’s become a complex civil war with many groups and nations involved.
People faced violence, displacement, and loss. Although the fall of Assad in December 2024 brought some hope, the fighting hasn’t stopped in several places around Syria. Peace is still uncertain.
Conflict has led to soaring food prices, electricity blackouts, and difficulties accessing health and medical support. Syria is in crisis and to make matters worse, it is vulnerable to extreme weather like drought, wildfires, and flooding as well as earthquakes.
The dynamics of the war have evolved over the years but there is one constant: people forced to leave their homes and communities to escape the fighting.
– Jack Bailey, ShelterBox’s Syria Programme Coordinator.
Bar al-Salameh camp, outside the northern Syrian city of Idlib, one of the largest camps for internally displaced Syrians. 2012.
A new kind of aid response
Historically, before the war broke out in 2012, ShelterBox focused on supporting people after disasters caused by extreme weather or earthquakes.
In Syria, we saw immense suffering and knew we had to act. This changed how we work, as we gained experience responding to conflicts worldwide.
- Jordan (2012-2013): We supported over 100 Syrian families by placing shelters at transit points along the border. This provided a place to rest before families were moved to permanent refugee camps.
Our early ShelterBoxes being prepared for Syrian families, 2012.
2013
- Syria (2013-2014): We worked with landowners and local groups to offer smaller-scale support across large areas of Syria. We worked through several local NGOs and in collaboration with other international NGOS and UN agencies.
Our original ShelterBoxes ready to send to Syria, 2013.
- Iraq (2013-2017): As the war progressed, we began to see people escaping across another boarder into Iraq. We assisted over 6,000 households, including those displaced by ISIS.
2014
A ShelterBox tent, provided to support Syrian families, 2014.
- Greece (2015): In 2015, we saw a huge rise in the amount of people following the perilous route from Turkey to Greece. The big increase in refugee numbers was largely caused by people fleeing Syria. At that time, Greece was gripped by a crippling economic crisis. A small handful of NGOs responded. ShelterBox provided 100 tents at transit sites in Greece, for families who were waiting to continue their journey.
2015
A man setting up a ShelterBox family tent, 2015.
Adapting to the Syrian environment
Syria’s harsh weather—freezing winters and scorching summers—meant over the years, we adjusted aid to include blankets, shade, and proper clothing for all seasons.
Since 2020 we have supported people to make improvements to their shelters ahead of the winter months.
Building local partnerships in Syria
ShelterBox interventions in the neighbouring countries allowed us to build the knowledge, context and networks to be able to send aid directly into Syria.
2018
ShelterBox tents at a refugee site in Syria, 2018.
A child walking by ShelterBox tents at a refugee site in Syria, 2018.
By 2019, we had helped over 24,000 families inside Syria with essentials like gas stoves, blankets, and clothing. We worked with local and international groups to provide aid effectively. For example, in 2020, with our partner ReliefAid, we delivered tarpaulins, rope, and sanitation kits to help people survive winter.
2019
A photograph of a woman and two children carrying blankets, taken by ReliefAid during the winter distributions in Syria, 2019.
This photo was taken during the winter distributions in Syria. The name of the girl on the right side is Zahraa, she was five years old and on the left is Laila, she was three years old when this was taken, 2019.
Mustafa, who worked for our partner ReliefAid, with children who have just received their ShelterBox winter coats in a camp for displaced families in Syria. 2019. Read an interview with Mustafa from 2020, here.
2020
Kazi 2 years old in 2020. Kazi’s parents said, “thanks for providing clothes for the children in the camp. It is a good help for my children. The children are happy to have new clothes.” 2020 Syria winterisation distributions.
Distributions of winter aid and hygiene items to help prevent the spread of coronavirus in North-West Syria. These distributions are part of the 2020 winterisation project in Syria with our trusted partner ReliefAid. The project will also include distributions of children’s clothing to families displaced by the ongoing conflict. November, 2020.
From 2021 to 2023, we continued assisting families suffering from flooding, conflict, and freezing weather. This included emergency winter supplies like boots for children and warm clothing.
2021
Our tent base pilot project, Syria.
Building solid foundations for tents, to prevent flooding. 2021.
Before the war Khaled was a school teacher, he owned a house and land, when we spoke to him in 2021, he lived in a tent in a displacement camp. Khaled’s tent was flooded during severe storms in January 2012. As part of ShelterBox’s emergency response he received replacement household items including carpets, mattresses and blankets to replace those damaged by the flooding. The aid was delivered by ShelterBox’s partner in Syria, ReliefAid, who took the opportunity to talk to Khaled about the challenges of educating and raising children in a displacement camp.
2022
Distributions being conducted for the Northeast Winterisation projects in 2022. Over 2,200 families were supported with aid packages that included: tarpaulins, clothing and two household packages: one ’core’ and the second a ‘core top-up’.
A family sat during Bahar distributions in Syria, 2022. Coordinating responses during COVID 19.
Syrian flooding assessments. 2022. Salah 10 years old, Nour 2 years old, Fatima 5.5 years old. The father said: “The weather was windy and rainy, the tents were falling and the storm lasted for two days. Rain seeped into our tent and damaged the things we had. My kids were afraid and cold.”
2023
Syrian aid assessments by our partners, Syria, 2023.
Tasnim. Her family were displaced from the southern countryside of Raqqa. The family consists of mum, dad, and two children, Muhammad and Tasnim. Their father works in construction . Syria, 2023.
Recent work responding to the Syrian crisis
In 2024-2025, we are supporting people in Northeast and Northwest Syria. We’ve provided items like thermals, insulated coats, and baby clothes to get through the winter. This project will help 3,400 people.
2024
An image of Syrian displacement camps in northeastern Syria during an aid assessment. 2024.
A woman washing clothes. Taken at a Syrian displacement camp in northeastern Syria during an aid assessment. 2024.
ShelterBox partners are Bahar distributing Aid to communities in north Syria. 2024.
The future for Syria
What is the future after Assad? This remains unclear.
We have supported more than 450,000 people affected by the Syrian crisis since 2012. This includes Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq.
Help us support people in Syria.
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