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A Bittersweet Return – Returning Home to Ruins

The fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 sparked hope that one of the world’s largest and most complex displacement crises was nearing its end.

For 14 years, millions of Syrian families endured immense suffering, with many forced to live in overcrowded camps with limited access to work, education and healthcare. At the peak of the crisis, over 13 million Syrians – half the pre-war population – were uprooted.

Since December, more than 1 million refugees and 1.5 million internally displaced people have crossed back into Syria, and while families are filled with hope, they face heartbreaking realities.

“I went back and couldn’t even find my house…I stood there, searching, lost, until I saw it – just ruins, pushed into a pile. Among the rubble, I recognized a piece of floor tile. That’s all that was left.” – Sana Khaled, Idleb, north-west Syria A staggering 16.7 million people inside Syria still in need of humanitarian aid. The devastating 2023 earthquakes further worsened their conditions, reducing countless homes to rubble and leaving people without safe housing, water, electricity, or basic sanitation. But despite the hardships they face, returnees are determined to rebuild their country, one day at a time.

The challenges of winter

As the weather begins to turn, the challenges of winter loom large for returning families now living in partially destroyed buildings and makeshift shelters, with little protection from the harsh winter months that lie ahead. Without sufficient access to food, shelter, warmth and more, their situation is grave.

UNHCR is on the ground providing protection to those most vulnerable, but we cannot do it without you. From replacing windows and doors to fixing broken roofs to keep out the cold, your donations can help families stay safe, warm and well-fed, giving them the relief they desperately need right now.

Your kindness today can be the comfort they need.

Every donation is a much-needed lifeline for Syrian families in need and with your help, UNHCR will provide cash for shelter, essential repairs, and small business support so families can live in safety and regain their independence once more. The journey ahead is definitely challenging, but they don’t need to do this alone.

How UNHCR and SAAPP Are Helping

Through this joint UNHCR–SAAPP partnership, we’re fundraising to provide life-saving support and lasting solutions for Syrian families returning home.
Your donation can help:

• Repair and insulate damaged homes — replacing windows, doors, and roofs to keep out the cold.
• Provide cash assistance so families can afford food, fuel, and essential items.
• Support small businesses and livelihoods to help families regain stability and independence.
• Restore dignity, safety, and hope for those rebuilding from nothing.

UNHCR is on the ground delivering protection and humanitarian aid — but we cannot do it without you.