Community

Humanitarian aid project of the AVSI Foundation in Syria

Immagine di una dipendente della Fondazione AVSI che gioca con una bambina

I am Marco Andreolli and I work in partnership with companies and foundations for AVSI, a non-profit organisation that carries out development and humanitarian aid projects in 39 countries.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on the night of 5-6 February. Northern Syria was one of the hardest hit areas, and also the one with the least access to humanitarian aid. Within hours of the tremors, AVSI staff promptly intervened in Aleppo to support the local population by distributing food and staples, and providing psychosocial support activities to both children and youth.

Supporting vulnerable populations through the Charity Fund

When such a humanitarian emergency arises, AVSI immediately sets its response procedures in motion by dramatically speeding up its actions. Continuous communication is established between headquarters and field staff, with updates coming in on an hourly basis. Logistics, fundraising, and communication are activated. In such times, rapid communication and a reliable response are crucial to providing timely and accurate support to those affected.

Backed by the Charity Fund of Intesa Sanpaolo, we were able to ensure a timely humanitarian response tailored to the needs of the moment. In particular, concrete support was provided to displaced families who found accommodation in the school of Hisham bin Abdulmalek. Hot meals were distributed for 34 days to more than 85 families every day. Sixty-four hygiene kits, 85 winter kits for children, and 35 kits for adults were delivered, consisting of blankets, cold weather clothing, and new underwear.

Three months after the earthquake, AVSI continues to support the population with all the activities initiated during the first response, which are included in a broader emergency response programme.

Based on our experience, we advise other service sector organisations wishing to propose a project to Intesa Sanpaolo’s Charity Fund to consider the Fund’s guidelines in detail. They are a useful tool for developing targeted and valuable projects.

We also suggest defining clear and measurable objectives that allow a precise assessment of the potential positive change that the project can bring to the lives of those involved.