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Staff of Syrian Family Planning Association distributing essentials to women.

News item

Plea for Aleppo

My Name is Dr Lama Mouakea. I am the Executive Director for the Syrian Family Planning Association.

My Name is Dr Lama Mouakea. I am the Executive Director for the Syrian Family Planning Association.

We are now in the fifth year since the start of unrest in Syria, the situation continues to worsen. With half million people being killed and more than ten million having fled their homes, the conflict has now escalated, violently affecting the people in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.

We still are in Aleppo. The situation is difficult. We are struggling to survive. People are coming here because they are not safe. Thousands have left East Aleppo in fear. It is cold. People walk long distances. There is so much crowding and for my staff the hours are very long.

There are too many people. Everywhere is crowded and this limits where we can find spaces to provide our services. The security situation in the city means that we are trying to deliver services and see as many people as we can. We know that who we treat today we may not see again.

We are providing the highest number of services from mobile clinics, to contraceptive supplies, to essential medicines including vitamins. We have medical teams and volunteers providing sexual and reproductive health services, psychosocial and paediatric through a range of mobile clinics and mobile teams so we can reach people.

  • The SPFA's mobile clinic is the only clinic operating in the area.
    The SPFA's mobile clinic is the only clinic operating in the area.
  • Women are visited behind a blanket, medical equipment is stored in trolleys.
    Women are visited behind a blanket, medical equipment is stored in trolleys.
  •  Women use blanket to cover the patients. There's no privacy for them.
    Women use blanket to cover the patients. There's no privacy for them.
  •  Women use blanket to cover the patients. There's no privacy for them.
    Women use blanket to cover the patients. There's no privacy for them.
  • Distributing essentials to people, including contraceptive supplies and essential medicines including vitamins
    Distributing essentials to people, including contraceptive supplies and essential medicines including vitamins
  • Syrian Family Planning Association (SFPA) meeting in the medical camp
    Syrian Family Planning Association (SFPA) meeting in the medical camp
  • Syrian Family Planning Association is still in Aleppo, providing assistance to war-torn population
    Syrian Family Planning Association is still in Aleppo, providing assistance to war-torn population
  • Syrian Family Planning Association gives medicines and counselling to women.
    Syrian Family Planning Association gives medicines and counselling to women.
  • Young volunteers and staff support local population
    Young volunteers and staff support local population
  • Staff distributes sanitary towels to women and girls.
    Staff distributes sanitary towels to women and girls.
  • Staff is in charge to bring and distribute supplies
    Staff is in charge to bring and distribute supplies
  • Women are queuing to get assistance.
    Women are queuing to get assistance.
  • Life-saving essentials are distributed to the population
    Life-saving essentials are distributed to the population
  • SFPA's staff reaching women in the camp
    SFPA's staff reaching women in the camp
  • Large crowds of people are reaching the medical camp. SFPA tries to serve everyone
    Large crowds of people are reaching the medical camp. SFPA tries to serve everyone
  • Everywhere is crowded and this limits where we can find spaces to provide our services.
    Everywhere is crowded and this limits where we can find spaces to provide our services.
  • Dignity kits, including sanitary towels, are being distributed
    Dignity kits, including sanitary towels, are being distributed
  • Dignity kits, including sanitary towels, are being distributed
    Dignity kits, including sanitary towels, are being distributed
  • SFPA's staff talking to a woman in the camp
    SFPA's staff talking to a woman in the camp
  • Children are also taking care of by SFPA's members
    Children are also taking care of by SFPA's members
  • Children are also receiving medical care
    Children are also receiving medical care

The risks for women and girls from sexual violence is high. We have seen many cases in our psychosocial support of violence that this kind of displacement exposes them to.

We provide tailored support to the survivors of sexual violence, which has increased enormously during the war.

There isn't enough services for the people. The demand is high and we need more assistance. With such high numbers and suffering, our internally displaced need urgent help. My staff are also suffering. We cannot keep up and want to survive. We won't leave because our place is here to help our people.

I can only hope that the world can hear me. Please consider the Syrian people and what we are going through. We need money to give hope to people and help them survive and save lives.

 

DR LAMA MOUAKEA |
Executive Director, the Syrian Family Planning Association

Mrs. Lama Mouakea has been the Executive Director of the Syrian Family Planning Association (SFPA) for the last 19 years and has a long history of working with sexual and reproductive health services. Currently she is responsible for supervision of 114 staff and coordination of 600 volunteers. Under her leadership the SFPA has played a major role in responding to the emergency situation in Syria, providing sexual and reproductive health services to people who are internally displaced due to the on-going conflict, with a focus on mother and child care and nutrition, psychosocial support, first aid and training of health personnel in the provision of clinical management for rape survivors and coverage of the minimum initial service package among a lot of other things.

when

country

Syria

Subject

Emergencies

Related Member Association

Syrian Family Planning Association