Dear Singers,
Thank you for all you did to raise money for some of Syria’s most vulnerable. From Istanbul to Tenby, Norfolk to Glasgow there have been more than 80 different events with over 10,000 people attending. Together, we have raised £140,500 to send to aid projects in Syria, with all of our running costs covered by sponsorship – this is no small feat and none of it could have been done with out you.
Our thanks go to the children’s choirs, the sailing clubs, schools, churches, professional singers, actors, reunited bands, musicians and audiences who all made it possible.
Where your money goes
Singing for Syrians raises money for the Hands Up Foundation’s projects which are implemented on the ground by partner organisations in and around Syria. Where possible these projects are inside Syria and run by Syrians. Sustainability is always at the forefront of our minds and we focus on funding salaries. This gives Syrians the opportunity to stay in their home country and provide an invaluable service to the local community, as well as supporting their own families. Their knowledge and skill will be needed when Syria is able to rebuild and become, once again, a place where people can live in peace. All the partner organisations we work with are monitored by us from the UK and provide regular reporting.
Over the next few months Hands Up is proud to be funding the following projects:
Medical Salaries
The need for medical aid in Syria is vast, especially for the 15 million civilians still in the country. Hands Up, in partnership with SAMS (Syrian American Medical Society), supports a primary health clinic serving southern Aleppo. Over the next six months we will fund the salaries of 21 staff: a GP, a paediatrician, a midwife, nurses and guards. In addition, we will cover the costs that make these jobs possible, such as fuel and stationery. Our budget for the clinic is £65,000 and Hands Up will receive monthly time-sheets and payslips from the staff to ensure the funding is delivered appropriately.
Al Amal school
Al Amal, meaning ‘hope’, is a new school for children with disabilities. We are delighted that this project is possible, even in besieged rural Damascus. Syrian children under six have only ever known a country in the midst of a civil war, those older may or may not have been lucky enough to go to school. Shafak, our partner for this project, is a brilliant organisation that runs health and social projects across Syria.
Our budget for the school over the next 4 months is £42,000, and the funding will support the initial costs of launching the facility, including salaries for teachers, stationery and rent. Hands Up will receive monthly updates on teaching staff and lists of attendance. We very much hope to continue our support after the initial funding phase.
Prosthetic Limbs
Over the last three years we have raised money to support the National Syrian Project for Prosthetic Limbs which runs 3 clinics: one in Reyhanli on the Turkish border, one in Idlib in Syria, and a mobile clinic also inside Syria. Our funding supports costs including staff salaries, materials, rent and fuel as well as patient treatment. The average cost of a limb is £380 and this programme is designed to get people back to work, restore dignity or simply allow people not to feel helpless at home. These clinics have been in place since 2013 and produce and fit around 100 prosthetics per month, with no charge.
But it’s not over! Sadly, Syria and the people caught in the crisis still need our help, and Singing for Syrians events are continuing across the UK in 2017. If you would like to hold an event, you can register early for your free pack on our website www.singingforsyrians.com
Thanking the right people
Informing people about where the money goes is so important to remind them just how vital their contribution is. If you need any help please get in touch, we have lots of materials you can use to make this easy.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
George, Louisa, Johnnie & Rose
The Hands Up Foundation
and Victoria Prentis MP