What is
happening
in Syria
After more than a decade of war, Syria has only just begun the slow work of rebuilding.
Since the collapse of the Assad regime and recent preliminary ceasefire agreements, millions who fled violence have begun returning home to find bombed-out storefronts and empty streets still bearing the scars of war.
Now, recent violence in neighboring Lebanon is sending thousands more families daily across the border into Syria in search of safety, often leaving their homes, belongings, and loved ones behind. This rapid influx is placing enormous strain on communities whose infrastructure is already fragile after 14 years of brutal conflict.
OUR RESPONSE
CORE is closely monitoring the humanitarian needs arising from recent military escalations in the Middle East. In Syria, border crossings have surged by a staggering 250% – that’s anywhere from 3,500 to 12,200 Syrian families entering the country from Lebanon every day. But after years of war and widespread destruction, Syria’s infrastructure and services are already stretched passed their limit.
Despite this, Syrians push forward. They can’t afford to sit idly by, because they know the deal; apathy means death for their neighbors, communities, and country. They won’t sit back and wait for the rest of the world to come to their rescue.
Each day, against all odds, local communities continue to support one another and work toward a more stable future. At CORE, we look up to these dreamers and partners, the ones who refused to give in to “the way things are,” the ones with the vision, determination, and grit to make it happen.
million people
call Syria home
million people
need humanitarian
assistance
million people
have been displaced
OF SYRIANS LIVE
BELOW THE
POVERTY LINE
What would it take for you to return to a home that tries to break you?
For Kinan, CORE’s Syria Manager, it’s the promise of waking up every morning to have a cup of coffee with his mom.
Read his story.
Kinan is an entrepreneur. An activist. A cook. A lifelong humanitarian. A Syrian exile.
He’s also CORE’s Syria Manager. After fleeing Syria to escape persecution, Kinan spent 13 years in France building a life most people could only dream of. He earned advanced degrees in international economics and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist fighting, held senior roles with international NGOs, built a network of friends and colleagues, opened a cafe, and indulged his love of art and culture.
But in October 2025, he left it all behind to reunite with his family and help shape his country’s future.
Everyday acts of resilience and community building.
Upon returning, Syrians immediately began rebuilding, one task at a time: clearing rubble from the streets, reopening small workshops, and even organizing community get-togethers. It’s our job to invest in people already doing the work of not only rebuilding infrastructure but community.
Photos from CORE’s response to a massive earthquake in Türkiye, 2023, which impacted many Syrian refugees in the region.
What does that look like?
CORE, along with our partner Ishan RD, provides financial assistance and training to local groups already working in Deir ez-Zur, the largest city in eastern Syria. Our goal is simple: empower the doers in Syria to continue driving change and community renewal.
- Installing water treatment systems in schools to keep kids healthy
- Building physical barriers between schools and busy streets to protect children
- Installing street lighting so women and children can feel safer at night
- Running hygiene campaigns and community projects to strengthen neighborhoods
- Providing legal aid where it’s needed most
- Distributing assistive mobility devices to support people with disabilities
- Launching recreational and cultural activities to bring communities together
Looking back
In February 2023, catastrophic 7.8 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes caused widespread devastation across Southern Türkiye and Northern Syria. The disaster exacerbated the already dire humanitarian crisis in Syria and displaced many families rebuilding their lives in Türkiye, which hosts the largest population of Syrian refugees.
Maisun is a mother of five, a baker, and a superhero to her children. Originally from Idlib, Maisun sadly lost her husband and one of her daughters to airstrikes in Syria. After being displaced three times within her country, each time fleeing with her remaining children in search of safety, she relocated her family to Türkiye.
CORE met Maisun in Mersin, where we gave her cash assistance to purchase essentials for her family.