35 Years of Walking with Refugees

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Syria and the Middle East
Less than six years ago Syrians
were welcoming Iraqi refugees
into their country, offering them
solace and a place to rebuild.
Jesuit Refugee Service worked in
Syria and Jordan to serve refugees
from the conflict in Iraq. As war engulfed
Syria, our programs adapted
to accommodate the growing
Iraq Crisis
needs of Syrians displaced within their
country and Syrian refugees who fled to
neighboring countries seeking safety.
In response to the unprecedented numbers
of families and individuals fleeing
their homes across Iraq and Syria as the
violent extremism spread, JRS established
a project in Erbil, the capital
of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, to provide
Since 2008, JRS has been providing psychosocial support and education
to refugees and IDPs in the Middle East; initially JRS services
were focused on people displaced from Iraq, Somalia and Sudan.
When the conflict inside Syria started, JRS began services and advocated
for the recognition of their situation and to promote access to
services for these people.
assistance to displaced people.
Coordination between JRS, Jesuit networks,
hundreds of committed volunteers
and other Christian and Muslim
entities helps civilians receive much
needed support. Our strong networks
allow us to reach the most vulnerable
displaced Syrians in places where other
organizations cannot operate.
Syria
JRS provides emergency relief, including food, counseling, supplies and
education to more than 300,000 people. Accompaniment — one of the
pillars of JRS work — is embodied in regular family visits, which are at the
heart of every JRS project across the region. Through these visits, JRS is
able to identify the needs of families and, more importantly, to address
these needs.
2008 2011