UNHCR Representative for Syria, Sajjad Malik presided over the opening of a new community centre in Hama city. Mr. Malik also visited Soran town in Hama, where he met with returnees and witnessed first-hand the urgent need for rehabilitation.
During his visit to Hama governorate on Monday 18 September, the UN Refugee Agency Representative for Syria, Sajjad Malik presided over the opening of a new community centre in Hama city in the attendance of Hama Governor and partners working on the ground.
The new community centre “Nasij Balad”, run by UNHCR’s partner the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) provides a range of services including: psycho-social support, legal aid, (in relation to birth registration and documentation), education (remedial classes, catch-up classes and other accelerated learning programs), livelihoods programs, vocational training, and many other different services to ease the hardships and suffering for 52,000 people living in the city including 10,000 internally displaced people returned recently to the city.
Mr. Malik also paid a field visit to Soran town, where he met with Amena, a 66-year-old widow returned with her brother and his four children to their house in Soran. Amena and her brother had explained to Mr. Malik that although their house is almost empty and need non-food items and furniture, they still decided to return home because they cannot afford house rent fees anymore.
In Soran town, Mr. Malik visited the Martyrs school in Al-Oruba neigborhoud. After witnessing the damages to the school, Mr. Malik decided to include it within the UNHCR’s rehabilitation program. School’s director told Mr. Malik, that out of 22 schools in Soran town, only six schools are still functioning.
In addition, Mr. Malik visited the site of the new bakery project in Soran town. This bakery is planned to provide bread to 3,750 people in Maardas village, 5,000 people in Soran town, these people were internally displaced and had returned recently to these neighborhouds.
In light of the huge damages to infrastructure and houses, and the enormous humanitarian needs in Hama governorate, UNHCR Syria is planning to expand its operation in the city in order to provide adequate services to the affected population.
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