A year after the fall of the regime in Syria, displacement remains a daily reality for millions of Syrians. For the 1.5 million families still living in camps across northwest Syria, winter brings another layer of hardship. There is the bitter cold, rain and snow, and heightened risks to health and safety.
Um Saddam Al-Abdullah is a 47-year-old mother originally from the northern countryside of Aleppo. For the past five years, she has lived with her family in Khalid Ibn Al-Walid Camp in Azaz after being forced to flee her home due to the conflict.
Their tent offered little protection from the elements as Um Saddam explains.
“Our tent has no doors to protect us from the rain and snow, not even windows. My children often fall sick because of it. During the last snowstorm, the cold was unbearable. Before receiving support, we had no choice but to burn nylon, plastic, and whatever sticks we could find. Sometimes, we even burned our own clothes and shoes. Firewood was too expensive for us.”
— Um Saddam
Her experience reflects the broader reality of displaced families like hers, where poverty, unsafe heating practices, and exposure to harsh weather pose serious health and protection risks.
Getting Through Winter While Working on Sustainable Solutions
Through the Cash for Winter activity under the KARAMA II project, SARD provided winterization cash assistance of USD 180 to 4,000 of the most vulnerable households across more than 30 camps in Aleppo and Idleb governorates. The project implemented by SARD in partnership with Welthungerhilfe and funded by the European Union aims to help families meet urgent winter needs while reducing reliance on harmful coping strategies.
“With this help, I was able to buy firewood, a heater, and the basic equipment we need to survive the winter. For the first time in a long while, my children and I can feel warm.”
The cash support allowed Um Saddam’s family to replace unsafe heating methods with safer alternatives improving their health, safety, and sense of dignity. This initiative runs in parallel with our shelter rehabilitation efforts so that families are not living in tents in the first place. Until sustainable shelter solutions are in place for families still living in camps, we will continue supporting them through Syria’s harsh winters.
Why Cash Matters in Winter Emergencies
For the 1.5 million families like Um Saddam’s, winter cash assistance is more than financial support, it is a lifeline during the harshest, most dangerous part of the year. It empowers households to prioritize their most urgent winter needs, protects children from illness and harm, and restores a sense of dignity after years of displacement.