First Trucks Leave For Syria

After 18 months helping on the borders of Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, ShelterBox has now found a way of getting aid into Syria itself via Turkey. 

The first truckload leaves Cornwall on Friday 26th April and should take 10-days to reach war-torn Syria. 

The Charity's operations team believe they have now found a route that will get much-needed equipment to displaced families. 

According to the Humanitarian Information Unit an estimated 3.6 million people in Syria have been forced from their homes, but are still within the country's borders. 

They are living in fear and desperately in need of basic aid. 

LISTEN HERE: Operations Co-ordinator David Ray

Recently nearly 2,500 people arrived at a camp near the Turkish border in one day alone. 

A strategic decision to send 'non shelter items' actually into Syria - including water purification equipment, water carriers, insect nets and children's packs. 

There are fears that tents supplied in the familiar green ShelterBoxes may draw attention, making displaced families a target for snipers or looters. 

So difficult choices have had to be made about which lifesaving items can safely be distributed without endangering the recipients. 

If successful, this new aid 'pipeline' will see final distribution within Syria by an implementing partner named 'Hand in Hand for Syria'.