A Flicker of Hope
Syria’s 14 years of intense and devastating conflict came to an unexpected, but deeply welcomed, end in late 2024 with the fall of the Assad regime. The war claimed at least 580,000 lives and forced 13 million Syrians from their homes within its first decade. Entire communities were torn apart, and vital infrastructure, including water systems millions depended on, was left in ruins.
As the country faces the monumental task of rebuilding, communities are struggling to piece their lives back together. Thankfully, with support from the EU, GOAL teams are helping thousands of families like Abu Hussien’s to rebuild their homes in Syria.
Abu Hussien’s Story: Return and Rehabilitation
Following the fall of the Assad regime, Abu Hussien returned to his hometown in Heish, Idlib governorate after nine years of displacement in camps, with his wife and eight children, including Marah (30), his eldest daughter, who has lived with brain damage since childhood.
The family’s turning point came when, after completing the assessment process, they were selected to receive support through GOAL’s rehabilitation programme, implemented in coordination with the local municipal council and funded by the European Union.
According to Abdulhamid Qassoum, GOAL’s Rehabilitation Engineer, shelter rehabilitation is one of the most critical humanitarian interventions in rural Idlib governorate: “Most houses were heavily damaged during the conflict, and without rehabilitation, families would not be able to leave their tents and settle again in their original areas.”
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Rehabilitation was not just about building walls - it was the return of hope and stability for all of us.
Returning Home
In Heish town alone, 439 houses are identified for rehabilitation with moderate to heavy damage. Efforts transform unhabitable structures into safe, habitable, and resilient homes. These interventions represent a lifeline for families striving to rebuild stability and dignity in their daily lives.
“Rehabilitation was not just about building walls,” Abu Hussien says. “It was the return of hope and stability for all of us.” The impact extends beyond his family; secure homes have strengthened community stability, encouraged other families to return, and revived daily life after years of abandonment.
“Thank God the great fear is gone, and today we live more peacefully. I hope these humanitarian projects reach all affected villages, and that Syria will see better days, with goodness and stability for everyone,” he says.
Ongoing Challenges
Despite the progress, significant challenges remain in Heish town. Schools are overcrowded, with up to 70 students per classroom, due to several schools being damaged to varying degrees. Health services are insufficient forcing residents to travel up to 20 kilometres for medical care, often without proper public transportation or paved roads. Electricity and water networks are dysfunctional, with families relying on costly water trucking to meet basic needs.
GOAL’s programmes, including support in education, healthcare, water, and electricity continue to be urgently needed to ensure that returns are sustainable and that families can rebuild their lives with dignity across towns throughout Syria.
About EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid
The European Union and its Member States are the world’s leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.
Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.
GOAL in Syria
After more than a decade of conflict, over 6.8 millions Syrians are internally displaced. 70% of Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance and relying on aid to survive day-to-day.
GOAL teams have been working on the ground in Syria since the conflict began in 2012. In 2025, GOAL's emergency response programme reached over 1.2 million people with food, cooking supplies and financial assistance. As GOAL engineers repair damage to water network infrastructure, more than 1.3 million people are now able to access clean drinking water in their homes. A further 430,000 people are benefitting from GOAL's bakery programme in North-West Syria.
Impact in Numbers
+1.6 million
Providing clean water to over 1.6 million people
+430,000
Delivering bread to over 430,000 people daily
2.8 million
People supported over the last year
2012
GOAL begins operations in Syria
Louay's Story
Louay Tajiddin, a GOAL Water and Sanitation Engineer in Syria, shares his personal experience of having to leave his job and home due to conflict in Syria.
He highlights the challenges faced by Syrians due to the protracted conflict and the importance of access to basic needs, particularly clean water.
To help vulnerable communities in Syria, Louay used his skills and experience for humanitarian work.
"Seeing more and more vulnerable families suffer under conditions of displacement and conflict was difficult. But I knew that this did not have to be the way. I felt I could do more for my people as someone with expertise in maintaining public service infrastructures. Something that was desperately needed in my community."
Learn more about how Louay and other GOAL staff in Syria, thanks to funding from the European Union, are repairing and delivering clean water to over 800,000 people in northwest Syria.
