AVSI has been steadily working in Syria since 2015, with an extensive network of partners and projects, to support the Syrian population, worn-out by 14 years of war and by the long-going economic, health and social crisis.

The political upheavals following the fall of the Syrian regime in December 2024 marked a new phase of transition and uncertainty, and the population's need for support remains urgent. AVSI continues to operate with determination in the urban and rural areas of Aleppo and Damascus, promoting psychosocial support interventions, economic assistance, vocational training, educational programs in public schools, and medical care.

After nearly fourteen years of conflict, on November 27, 2024, a coalition of rebels led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a large-scale military offensive that, within a few days, led to the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime—whose family had ruled Syria since 1970—and of his party, the Ba’ath, which had dominated the national political scene since 1963. The dissolution of the regime marks a turning point in the country’s history and reshapes the political balance of the entire Middle East.

In December 2024, the number of internally displaced persons in Syria peaked at 1.1 million. During the same period, the change in national leadership triggered significant population movements, with over 522,000 internally displaced people returning to their homes and around 195,000 Syrians returning from abroad, mainly to the regions of Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, and Dar’a.

Today, Syria is facing a dramatic situation: extreme poverty is expected to rise from 33.1% in 2024 to 37.4% in 2025. The economic crisis is exacerbated by international sanctions, the ongoing devaluation of the local currency, and rising inflation. Most families cannot afford basic necessities, whose prices have tripled in the past two years.

The impact of climate change also weighs heavily on the Syrian people: the water crisis has crippled agricultural production and limited access to clean water.

The situation in Syria has a profound psychosocial impact. After years of war, the COVID-19 pandemic, a cholera outbreak, the February 2023 earthquake, and the political transition following the regime’s fall in 2024, the population lives in a state of disorientation, suspended between the hope for real change and the fear of new traumas. In this uncertain climate, AVSI continues to serve as a point of reference, bringing hope and tangible support to urban and rural areas of Aleppo and Damascus.

That is why AVSI mainly in Aleppo, but also in Lattakia, implements projects for the wellbeing of vulnerable families through psychosocial support

Particular attention is paid to the most vulnerable families: those with elderly or disabled members, or those whose survival depends on women as heads of household—often war widows—who find themselves having to support both themselves and their children alone.

Over the years, the organization has also developed strong experience in supporting the agricultural sector, working alongside farmers through technical training and the distribution of tools and materials to improve production and strengthen food security.

The Syrian public education system bears the deep scars of war: the flight of qualified personnel, schools destroyed or repurposed for military use or to shelter displaced people, and a gradual erosion of the pedagogical fabric. In this fragile context, AVSI’s integrated approach aims to rebuild not only schools but also trust in education as a driver of the future.

Still today more than 2 million Syrian children and young people (aged 6-17) do not go to school, and humanitarian aid and local resources to support their right to education are increasingly reduced. Not going to school exposes children and young people to the risk of different kinds of child exploitation, from early marriages to child labor.

In public schools, AVSI works to prevent school dropout by promoting the reintegration of minors and supporting the professional development of teachers through training courses. Remedial classes and the rehabilitation of school buildings help transform educational spaces into safe, welcoming, and stimulating environments.

Today, only two-thirds of schools in Syria are operational: children who are able to attend often study in overcrowded classrooms and buildings with inadequate water, sanitation, electricity, heating, and ventilation systems.

In rural areas of Damascus, AVSI is engaged in the structural rehabilitation of school buildings, transforming them into safe, functional, and welcoming spaces.

At the same time, the organization works to reintegrate children who have dropped out of school, often forced to work to support their families financially. To help those who have fallen behind in their learning, remedial courses are organized. Since many families cannot afford even basic school supplies, AVSI distributes backpacks, notebooks, pens, and other essential materials.

AVSI trains teachers in managing children's trauma and emotional difficulties, and introduces active learning, a teaching methodology that promotes participatory, student-centered lessons through cooperative learning, role-playing, and gamification.

Between 2023 and 2024, thanks to the contribution of Fondazione Milan's and the collaboration with partner Pro Terra Sancta (PTS), 278 vulnerable children have been involved in soccer classes, an activity that provided an escape from post-conflict and post-earthquake realities and has contributed to their mental and physical well-being.

Syria is currently the country where the largest number of refugees in the world and in Europe come from: in 2023, over 5 million Syrians live abroad, in over 130 countries all over the world. Most Syrian refugees live in absolute poverty, and almost half of them are children and teenagers.

For years, we have been supporting the Syrian population also in countries that welcome refugees who fled the war. Particularly in Lebanon, where there are approximately 1.5 million Syrian refugees, in Jordan and in Iraq.