GOAL’s EU-Funded SANAD II Programme Reaches Over 1.3 Million People in Syria with lifesaving support - GOAL Global Skip to content

GOAL’s EU-Funded SANAD II Programme Reaches Over 1.3 Million People in Syria with lifesaving support

 

May 6, 2026 • 3 min read

In late 2024, the fall of the Al-Assad regime fuelled cautious hope for displaced families, while exposing the sheer scale of devastation left behind. Displacement remains one of the most severe consequences of the crisis. Withhile more than one million leaving internally displaced people (IDP) sites in the north, the crises is far from over, as an estimated seven million people remain displaced inside Syria.

Responding to the Crisis with Life-Saving Aid: SANAD II

The EU-funded SANAD II programme has focused on providing communities with Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA), Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), shelter rehabilitation, emergency response mechanisms, and coordination support, ensuring that vulnerable families receive  timely and effective assistance where it is needed most.

When sudden shocks occur, SANAD II enables families to access rapid support to meet their most urgent needs. Beyond emergency response, the programme provides regular cash assistance that allows households to prioritise and address their essential needs with dignity and choice. Delivered at scale across multiple regions, SANAD II combines immediate relief with a systems-strengthening approach, supporting not only vulnerable families but also local services and markets to better withstand future shocks.

“Across Syria, families continue to face severe gaps in access to safe water, adequate shelter, and reliable income. With support from the European Union, GOAL has been working to address directly rehabilitating water systems, supporting shelter, and providing cash assistance so families can meet their most urgent priorities to strengthen the systems communities rely on every day.”

— Tamer Kirolos, GOAL’s Syria Country Director

Impact in Numbers

Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA)

  1. 35,216 people supported to meet their basic needs through cash assistance.
  2. 3,977 households affected by severe weather in Idlib and Aleppo were supported by 569,850 USD in assistance (150USD per household), approximately to 509,922 EUR.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

  1. 990,397 individuals gained access to safe and sufficient water and sanitation services.
  2. 84% of beneficiaries reported having adequate WASH services and hygiene practices.

Shelter

  1. 1,944 beneficiaries targeted through door-to-door assessments.
  2. 436 shelter units rehabilitated and accessibility features integrated including ramps, wider doors, and grab bars.
  3. Improved living conditions contributing to greater safety and enhanced protection and resilience.

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Emergency Preparedness

  1. 21,528 people supported to meet their basic needs during emergencies.
  2. 300,000 people included in emergency contingency planning and risk mitigation initiatives.

The programme’s impact is best reflected in the experiences of those it has supported.

“The camp is full of struggling and affected families, and our hope is to leave this life and live with dignity. The assistance helped us secure some heating and food and stood by us during this difficult time.”

— Nawaaf Al-Akel (Abu Mohammad), 36, Barish Camp, Idlib Governorate

Thanks to EU support, families like Nawaaf’s were able to move from dilapidated tents into dignified, durable shelters — a life-changing step toward rebuilding after years of hardship.

Looking Ahead

While SANAD II’s operational phase concludes, humanitarian needs in Syria remain immense. GOAL continues to work closely with partners, donors, and local communities to ensure that vulnerable families are not left behind. Sustained international support will be critical to building pathways toward recovery, dignity, and hope for millions of Syrians.

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.