Just four days after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the Aid Fund for Syria (AFS) launched a US $7.5 million rapid response to help communities in northern Syria get back on their feet. Working through seven trusted Syrian NGOs, AFS is restoring vital services in cities and towns like Aleppo, Ma’arrat Al-Numan, Saraqib, and Khan Shaykhun — reaching nearly 2.2 million people with practical, life-improving support.

Fourteen years of conflict — including heavy strikes in the final days before the regime fell — left northern Syria in ruins. In Aleppo alone, more than 60% of the city and 85% of its eastern districts were destroyed. Schools and hospitals lay in rubble. Markets were shut, farmers were cut off from their land, and piles of waste blocked streets. For families wanting to return, conditions were unsafe and basic services were gone. Without quick action, millions faced months or years of further hardship and displacement.

AFS moved fast, channelling US $7.5 million through seven Syrian NGOs who know the communities best and could act quickly. Together, they launched projects in newly accessible areas of Idleb and Aleppo governorates to clear debris, reopen schools and markets, restore healthcare, and fix essential infrastructure.

• Clearing the Way Home: The White Helmets removed 40,000 m³ of rubble in Aleppo and recycled debris into building materials.

• Reviving Local Trade: IYD International Humanitarian Relief Association repaired Khan Shaykhun’s central market, bringing 150 shops back to life.

• Getting Children Back to Class: Syria Relief restored five schools in Ma’arrat Al-Numan, giving 4,200 children — half of them girls — a safe place to learn again.

• Tackling Waste and Disease: Mercy Without Limits restored waste collection across 156 neighbourhoods in Aleppo.

• Rebuilding Communities: ATAA Relief repaired five schools, two water stations, and the sewage network in Saraqib.

• Reconnecting Farmers: BINAA rehabilitated 25 km of rural roads in Idleb so farmers can reach their fields and markets again.

• Restoring Healthcare: Hand in Hand for Aid and Development began rebuilding Ma’arrat Al-Numan National Hospital, set to serve thousands once again.

This rapid allocation shows how locally-led action can make a difference fast. By trusting Syrian organisations to take the lead, AFS ensured aid was relevant, quick, and rooted in community priorities. Clearing rubble, reopening schools, and fixing roads doesn’t just restore services — it restores dignity, hope, and the ability for people to rebuild their own futures.