Syria continues to face one of the world’s most protracted and complex humanitarian crises: by mid-2025, some 16.5 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance and 15.9 million required medical care. The situation is particularly critical in the north-east of the country, where the protracted conflict, the economic crisis and the deterioration of infrastructure have further exacerbated the population’s vulnerabilities.
Access to essential healthcare services remains severely limited, partly due to the reduced capacity of healthcare facilities and a lack of resources. Particular challenges relate to reproductive health, malnutrition and the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases and chronic conditions, for which access to medicines, diagnosis and treatment is often difficult. Even ambulance services frequently lack the resources and equipment needed to respond to emergencies.
It is against this backdrop of challenges that the project “Muruna fi Rafihiya – Pathways to Resilience for Achieving Physical and Mental Well-being in Vulnerable Communities in the Raqqa Governorate’, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and implemented by Un Ponte Per in collaboration with its local partner DOZ in the districts of Raqqa and Tabqa. The aim of the project, which began in February 2026 and will run until May 2027, is to help reduce morbidity and mortality and to promote the wellbeing of the most vulnerable communities through an integrated approach in the sectors of health, protection and access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
The initiative is aimed in particular at internally displaced persons, returnees and host communities, whilst simultaneously strengthening existing services and local response capacities. The project is structured around three main areas of intervention. In the health sector, it supports local facilities and the deployment of a mobile medical unit to ensure essential, high-quality services for displaced and vulnerable people in collective centres and informal settlements. Support is also planned for the Raqqa Governorate Emergency Ambulance Transport Centre, strengthening the emergency response and access to healthcare facilities.
In the WASH sector, the project aims to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene, and the management of clinical waste in the supported facilities. The installation of solar-powered systems will help to ensure the continuity of services and the proper storage of medicines. Support for the Tabqa Water Authority will also help to improve access to drinking water for displaced people and host communities in Abu Qubaei and the surrounding areas.
Finally, in the area of protection and psychosocial support, a Mobile Protection Unit will provide services aimed specifically at women, children, adolescents and carers. Activities will include child protection, the prevention of and response to gender-based violence, non-formal education, psychosocial support and social cohesion initiatives, alongside case management and the strengthening of referral systems.
The multidimensional nature of the project makes it possible to respond effectively to the needs of communities affected by the crisis, strengthening not only immediate access to essential and life-saving services, but also the capacity of local institutions and stakeholders to ensure more accessible, safe and sustainable services over the long term. The focus on solutions with a low environmental impact, staff training and the strengthening of case management and referral systems helps to build a more resilient response to the vulnerabilities that continue to characterise the Raqqa Governorate.
