Aid for the Middle East remains a priority for ACN. Our goal is to give Christians hope and to support them in their eforts to remain in their homeland. Afer crises and wars, many people are finding it dificult to see any prospects for themselves. The escalation of the situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip has further exacerbated the situation in the Middle East. During the reporting year, ACN supported the Church in the region in more than 512 projects with a total budget of 19.2 million euros.
Our aid focused on the two countries Syria and Lebanon. The years of war have demanded everything from Christians living in Syria. Hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties, destroyed homes and a life of deprivation in refugee shelters have lef people deeply traumatised and insecure. The economic and political situation is so catastrophic that many are deliberating the idea of looking for a better future in other parts of the world. Meanwhile, pure despair prevails in many places.
Many Christians no longer see prospects for themselves in the Middle East.
Regina Lynch, Executive President
The need was exacerbated by the severe earthquake in February 2023, which caused serious damage, particularly in northern Syria. The metropolis of Aleppo, with its population of around 1.8 million, and the areas of Hama, Latakia and Idlib were also affected. ACN provided emergency first aid to those afected in these areas and supported the reconstruction of Christian families’ homes.
Other projects in both Syria and Lebanon included providing needy families with food and medicine, assistance for seniors and students, as well as subsistence aid for religious sisters and Mass stipends for priests. In addition, we support the reconstruction of church buildings and provide emergency aid for the operation of Catholic schools and hospitals.