US $19 million is allocated through the Humanitarian Pooled Fund for projects in Syria [EN/AR]
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Damascus, 23 March 2016 –
Nearly $19 million has been allocated to partners through the Syria Humanitarian Pooled Fund (HPF). This standard allocation of funds will finance water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, health, food security and agriculture, education and cross-sectoral projects to meet the needs of and make a meaningful difference in the lives of almost 1.4 million people.
“With recent favorable conditions, the UN and partners will accelerate humanitarian interventions, wherever access permits, especially to communities who have been cut off from aid for months,” said Yacoub El Hillo, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria. In 2016, 13.5 million people require humanitarian assistance, including 4.6 million people in hard-to-reach areas-- half a million whom live in besieged communities where needs are most dire.
Some 66 project proposals were strategically and technically evaluated by humanitarian sectors and partners before being approved by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria. Nearly half of the 17 projects approved for funding went to national NGOs. In total, 57 per cent of funds were allocated to international and national NGOs and the rest to UN agencies in Syria; and 60 per cent of the funded projects focus on meeting needs in hard-to-reach or besieged areas.
“This is the first allocation of funds this year and it is also the biggest one to date,” said Mr. El Hillo. “We had a lot of qualified applicants, so our strategy was to prioritize projects that are implemented directly and in hard-to-reach and besieged areas.”
The allocation process has been completed, with most projects expected to start in early April. Organizations receiving funding through this allocation are: ACF, ADRA, Al Afia Fund, Al Birr Association, Al birr wa Al Ehsan in Ras Alain, Al Ihsan Charity and Development Association, Assyrian Charity Association, FAO, GOPA, Al Inshaat Charity, Oxfam, SSSD, TDH, UNICEF, UNRWA, WFP and WHO.