Aid loaded at Oxfam warehouse for Syria crisis

Twenty five tons of aid equipment to help Syrian refugees was loaded at Oxfam’s warehouse in Bicester, Oxfordshire today (Thursday, 13 June) and will be flown to Jordan on Saturday.

The water tanks and equipment will be used by Oxfam and UNICEF to help refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict in camps in Jordan, including Zaatari camp. The equipment, funded by UNICEF, will be flown from Heathrow airport to Amman on Saturday evening. This equipment will help an estimated 150,000 people.

More than 93,000 Syrians have already lost their lives in the conflict and an estimated 1.5 million people have fled the conflict into neighboring countries, over half a million of which are in Jordan. Over half the refugees are children.

With an upsurge in the fighting in Syria in recent weeks, refugees are again crossing into Jordan in large numbers. The aid agencies warn that the soaring summer temperatures will increase health risks for refugees in the camps and in overcrowded temporary accommodation. Oxfam and other agencies are running a hygiene promotion campaign in Zaatari to curb the number of cases of diarrhea and other health risks.

Jane Cocking, Oxfam’s humanitarian director said: “The conflict is having a devastating impact on the people of Syria. Thousands of people have fled their homes, leaving everything behind. Many have been living in tents and overcrowded accommodation for months already. The rising temperatures will make the situation even worse. Clean water and safe sanitation are vital to curb the spread of disease.”