By Jasper Vaughn
The past six months have brought both upheaval and hope for people displaced by conflict in northern Syria. Since the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024, more than 470,000 refugees have returned to Syria, and more than 700,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) — those displaced within the country, either within host communities or in temporary settlements or camps where Global Communities provides lifesaving assistance — have gone back to their areas of origin. While this movement represents progress toward stability and security for Syria, many challenges remain for families returning home to rebuild their lives.
The Challenge Ahead for Syrians Returning to Their Areas of Origin
Important infrastructure such as roads and power and water systems remain damaged after years of conflict, and sporadic clashes between ethnically affiliated armed groups continue to put civilians at risk. Unexploded ordnance — left behind weapons and ammunition such as landmines — also presents significant danger for those returning.
“People are eager to return,” reports Hans Bederski, Global Communities’ Country Director for Syria, but limited economic opportunities combined with ongoing violence and “hardly any efforts at mine clearance” mean that many families are not transitioning as safely and quickly as they should.
Compounding these challenges, dramatic reductions in funding for humanitarian assistance over the past several months have left relief agencies — including Global Communities — with limited or no resources to meet ongoing needs for camp residents and returning populations. Humanitarian groups estimate that the U.S. government’s recent cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have resulted in the termination of more than $237 million of U.S. aid to Syria, which in turn has had a “ripple effect” on other donor governments withdrawing funding, according to Bederski.
Global Communities’ Response
Despite ongoing insecurity and gaps in humanitarian funding, Global Communities staff and displaced families in Syria see many opportunities to usher in a new level of stability and security for IDP camp residents and people returning to their areas of origin. Thus far, Global Communities has focused its response efforts on several camps in northern Syria, which were particularly underserved during the government transition and abrupt funding cuts earlier this year. Our staff provide vital food, shelter, and water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance in the region, and in 2024 alone, these programs reached more than 320,000 people with aid.
Global Communities’ longer-term goal, however, is to go beyond temporary measures for camp residents and promote self-sufficiency and stability by supporting people who have returned or are in the process of returning to their home communities. An aid strategy that only targets camps could shift returnee flows and even incentivize some family members to stay behind instead of returning to their places of origin, Bederski notes.
“We want to invest in ‘pull’ factors,” or aid that makes returning to areas of origin more viable such as economic support, basic shelter repairs, and access to essential services like electricity and sewage systems,” he says. This assistance could help families achieve greater stability and reduce the likelihood of their return to camps, which are not meant for long-term residence.
While Global Communities remains focused on the most urgent humanitarian needs within IDP camps, additional funding could expand assistance for returnee families, providing support to restoring homes and livelihoods, and agricultural kits to help with the first planting cycle for those rebuilding in rural areas. These efforts could help hundreds of families resettle successfully, secure a first harvest and prepare for the coming winter.
What You Can Do Today
Donate: With your support, we can ensure that families affected by conflict and disaster don’t just survive — they rebuild, recover and thrive. Give now.
Learn more: See how our work in Syria is making a difference today and laying the foundation for long-term recovery.