Amal* lives in a refugee camp in northern Syria with her two young children Ahmad*, 1, and Kamar*, just 11 months old.
Life in the camp is difficult, with even the most basic needs often out of reach. But nothing prepared Amal for the heartbreak of watching her once bright-eyed baby girl grow weak and listless.
Due to prolonged malnutrition and the stress of displacement, Amal was no longer able to breastfeed Kamar. She turned to formula, but the cost was nearly impossible to manage.
Amal holding her daughter Kamar outside their tent.
“At first, I thought her thinness was normal for her build,” Amal says. “But when a doctor at the local health center diagnosed her with malnutrition, I was overwhelmed with sorrow.”
Everything changed when Amal connected with Relief International’s nutrition program.
Through weekly visits to the center, she received lifesaving therapeutic food and guidance on how to support Kamar’s recovery. Over the course of six months, Kamar’s weight steadily climbed—from a dangerously low 4 kilograms to a healthy 8.
Thanks to this support, Amal’s daughter is now thriving—and so is her hope. Behind these lifesaving efforts is a dedicated team of specialists—people like Maram*.
Maram has worked with Relief International for two years, driven by her own experience of living through Syria’s long and brutal conflict. Today, she leads the fight against malnutrition in the camp for displaced families, ensuring that children and mothers get the care they urgently need.
Maram holding a packet of theapeutic food treatment for children, provided by Relief International, ensuring that every child receives the nutrition they need to recover.
A lifeline for mothers and children each day, Maram and her team screen children and pregnant women for signs of malnutrition.
They provide therapeutic and preventive supplements, track growth through regular weight and height assessments, and educate caregivers on how to nourish their children—even in the most difficult conditions.
“We’ve seen a real improvement in the health of both mothers and children,” Maram explains. “Families now return to the center regularly to monitor their children’s well-being. The war and displacement have stripped families of the basics they need to thrive,” she says. “But with sustained support, we can rebuild lives—one child at a time.”
Kamar with her brother Ahmad*.
Relief International and European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)
Relief International has only been able to support people like Dalia because of the support of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). EU ECHO currently supports health facilities and protection spaces operated by Relief International across Syria. EU ECHO currently supports 15 health facilities and 10 protection spaces operated by Relief International across Syria. Thanks to ECHO’s support last year, Relief International was able to deliver healthcare to over 400,000 individuals and provide essential protection services to nearly 10,000 people.