icon icon icon icon icon icon icon

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Dr. Helene Gayle, president of CARE, visits a Syrian refugee family in Amman, Jordan. CARE gave the family a cash grant to cover emergency needs. Over two million Syrians have fled their country. Many now live in Jordan, where CARE is helping over 110,000 refugees. Photo by Adel Sarkozi/CARE
Dr. Helene Gayle, president of CARE, visits a Syrian refugee family in Amman, Jordan. CARE gave the family a cash grant to cover emergency needs. Over two million Syrians have fled their country. Many now live in Jordan, where CARE is helping over 110,000 refugees. Photo by Adel Sarkozi/CARE

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE’s work, meets Jordan’s Queen Rania and Prime Minister 

AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) – CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization’s work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.

Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland now live in safe but difficult circumstances in Jordan. And while the public image of the crisis may be that of refugee camps, the vast majority of refugees — 75 percent in Jordan — live outside of camps, struggling to survive in poorer areas of cities. In these urban centers, CARE is helping refugees with emergency cash assistance for shelter, food, and medical care, provision of information on available services, case management and referral services.

“This is the world’s largest refugee crisis since the Rwandan genocide, and yet, in a way, it’s almost invisible,” said Gayle. “But here in the poorest neighborhoods of Amman and other cities of Jordan, inside squalid apartments, seeing the faces of this crisis is unavoidable and shocking. More often than not, they are the faces of mothers and children in desperate living conditions.”

The refugee crisis began in spring 2011, when civil war broke out in Syria. As bombings and shootings escalated, more than 2 million people escaped to neighboring countries like Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. At least three-quarters of the refugees are women and children.

Gayle was particularly moved by Rawda, a Syrian widow who lost her husband in a bomb blast and now is struggling to care for five young children, including a seven-year-old son unable to walk after being injured by a bomb in Syria. “The situation of the people I’ve met is overwhelming. There are mothers and children who have witnessed their husbands or fathers dying in their arms,” Gayle said.

Soaring prices for food, electricity, and rent have swiftly impoverished hundreds of thousands of Syrians. Many refugees are not legally allowed to work in their host countries, so once their savings are gone, they face destitution.

Donor response, however, has not matched the scale of the humanitarian crisis. As of Oct. 2, the UN-led appeal of $4.4 billion is only at 49 percent funded. And CARE has secured less than 25 percent of the anticipated $50 million in funding needed for its life-saving response.

Nonetheless, CARE is scaling up. In Jordan, CARE’s cash grant program gives Syrian and Iraqi families emergency funds to meet urgent needs. CARE is providing life-saving services to Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon and to people affected by the crisis in Syria. As the conflict escalates, CARE is also starting activities in Egypt and Yemen to help Syrian refugees there. CARE is impartial and neutral. Our support to families affected by the crisis in Syria is based on humanitarian needs alone, no matter people’s religion, political affiliation or ethnicity.

Gayle met with Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan to discuss the Syrian refugee crisis as well as the long-term women’s empowerment programs that CARE runs in Jordan. Gayle recognized the generosity of Jordan in hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees. She repeated that message in a separate meeting with Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, where discussions focused on how groups such as CARE can best help in a coordinated refugee response.

For all the challenges, Dr. Gayle said she was also left with a sense of hope while talking to refugees.  “I see so much strength in women like Rawda. Even as she struggles to feed her own children, she managed to find a way to enroll them in school. I was truly moved by her resilience and determination.”

About CARE: Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE Package®, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE has more than six decades of experience delivering emergency aid during times of crisis. Our emergency responses focus on the needs of the most vulnerable populations, particularly girls and women. Last year CARE worked in 84 countries and reached more than 83 million people around the world. To learn more, visit www.care.org.

Media Contacts:

Laura Sheahen (in Atlanta), LSheahen@care.org, +1.404.667.8299
Adel Sarkozi (in Amman), sarkozi@careinternational.org +962 778400425

Resources

Cash and Voucher Assistance During COVID-19

Guidelines and a tip sheet for adapting cash and voucher programming during COVID-19.

Read More

From Cholera to COVID: Applying Lessons Learned

Lessons learned and program recommendations for COVID based on CARE's learning from previous epidemics.

Read More

Working with Savings Groups During COVID 19 (French)

Un outil de CARE sur comment travailler avec les groupements d'epargne et credit dans le context de COVID 19

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

CARE Cash and Voucher Playbook

A substantial body of evidence shows that giving vulnerable people money instead of in kind assistance allows them to meet a variety of needs while making aid budgets go further.

Read More

Doing Nexus Differently

How can Humanitarian and Development Actors link or integrate humanitarian action, development, and peace?

Read More

Typhoon Haiyan Resconstruction: Results So Far

4 page summary highlighting results so far from the Typhoon Haiyan Reconstruction Project, funded through Global Affairs Canada

Read More

Helsinki Report Stand and Deliver digital

On 4 February 2016, the international community agreed on a ‘comprehensive new approach’ to address the protracted Syria crisis at the “Supporting Syria and the Region” Conference in London. Donors, and neighboring countries, which host the vast majority of those who have fed Syria, committed to significant financial pledges and policy changes to improve the lives of refugees and host communities. As the one-year mark of the conference approaches, 3 NGO platforms and 28 organizations have reviewed whether donors and host governments have fulfilled their commitments, and whether their actions have led to an improvement in the situation for refugees and host communities in the region.

Read More

Suffering in Silence: 2016

In 2016, we saw numerous news-breaking humanitarian crises. Yet these headlines were just the tip of an ever-growing humanitarian iceberg. Underneath these more visible crises lay many more that never made it into the news. This report highlights where the global community must step up action to bring an end to human suffering and promote a world of peace and social justice.

Read More

SOUTH SUDAN Emergency Factsheet January 2016

Read More

CARE Impact Syria Crisis March 2016

Read More

CARE Syria Crisis Fact Sheet March 2016

Read More

CARE On Her Own refugee media report Sept 2016

Read More

Yemen Factsheet (March 2016)

A one-page factsheet showing the humanitarian needs of Yemen and how CARE is responding as of March 2016.

Read More

Women, Work, and War: Research Study

Five years of war and displacement have triggered fundamental shifts in gender roles and responsibilities, both in Syria and in neighboring countries. In Syria before the crisis, women’s economic participation was relatively low at 22 percent in 2010, with some legal barriers but mainly sociocultural norms and practice limiting women’s roles and responsibilities inside and outside the house. As a result of the upheaval, however, Syrian women and men feel that their roles and responsibilities have been reversed: while women increasingly participate in decision-making on income and expenses and assume responsibilities outside the home, men have lost their traditional role as the sole breadwinner and decision-maker.

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

The Forgotten South Executive Summary: Food Security and Livelihoods in Southern Syria

This executive summary analyzes the current economic and livelihoods challenges in conflict-affected communities in Southern Sudan.

Read More

The Forgotten South Executive Summary: Food Security and Livelihoods in Southern Syria

This executive summary analyzes the current economic and livelihoods challenges in conflict-affected communities in Southern Sudan.

Read More

REACH-S Project

Eliminating the immediate suffering of Internally Displaced Persons in host communities

Read More

SHOUHARDO II

Innovative USAID-funded program that links food aid with building long-term food and nutrition security 

Read More

Multi-Sectoral Assistance for Populations in Crisis (MAP)

Providing a means for survival for IDPs experiencing economic and humanitarian uncertainty 

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

Paper: “Our small peace cannot survive alone”

Lessons in peacebuilding and economic development in South Sudan. 

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

Emergencies: CARE In Action

Read More

Six Months Later: CARE’s Nepal Earthquake Response

A two-page report about CARE's response to the deadly earthquakes in Nepal in 2015.

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

Nepal Earthquake: Factsheet

As of July 2015

Read More

Factsheet: Nepal Earthquakes

Read More

Nepal: Rapid Gender Analysis Overview

Read More

Charting a New Course: Overcoming the Stalemate in Gaza

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

Factsheet: Floods in Southern Africa

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: Progress Report, 2010-2015

Read More

Impact Update: Five Years After the Haiti Earthquake

Read More

Factsheet: CARE’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: Five-year Progress Report

Over the last five years, CARE has transitioned from post-earthquake emergency relief into programming aimed at addressing the underlying causes of poverty that increase vulnerability to disaster. Our efforts have focused on sustainable economic development, rebuilding of the urban fabric, improved education, and food security.

Read More

Learning from Crisis: Strengthening Humanitarian Response Since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

Read More

Five Years After The Haiti Earthquake:

Building Back Safer, Stronger - A Financial Update

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: 5 Year Donor Report

Haiti Earthquake Emergency Response Fund - January 2010 – December 2014

Read More

CRITICAL DIAGNOSIS

The Case for Placing South Sudan’s Healthcare System at the Heart of the Humanitarian Response

Read More

One Year Later: Typhoon Haiyan Emergency and Recovery Response

One year later, CARE continues to reach needy families and communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

Read More

One Year After Typhoon Haiyan

From Emergency Aid to "Build Back Safer"

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

Fact Sheet:Syria Crisis: CARE’s response in Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt

June 2012 through March 2014

Read More

‘THE GIRL HAS NO RIGHTS’

This 12 page report on Gender-Based Violence in South Sudan, from May 2014, provides the results of interviews and research CARE is...

Read More

The Syrian Humanitarian Crisis

Read More

South Sudan Crisis Factsheet April 2014

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

Lives Unseen: Urban Syrian Refugees and Jordanian Host Communities Three Years into the Syria Crisis

Urban Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities three years into the Syria Crisis

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

Reaching Resilience Handbook

A handbook for aid practitioners and policymakers in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and poverty reduction

Read More

Three Months After the Storm

Update on CARE's Response to Typhoon Haiyan

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

White Paper on Food Aid Policy (2006)

This paper briefly summarizes our analyses, options, and directions on food resources and spending on food aid. 

Read More

South Sudan Humanitarian Snapshot

January 4, 2014

Read More

South Sudan Crisis Response Plan

January to March 2014

Read More

South Sudan Crisis

Situation Report as of January 4, 2014

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

The Syrian Humanitarian Crisis: Raising the Profile of Women and Girls

We call on donor governments to address the specific needs of women and girls affected by the crisis in Syria.

Read More

Humanitarian Action at CARE USA: Capacity Statement

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

Roadmap for Continued U.S. Leadership to End Global Hunger

Read More

Sex and Age Matter: Improving Humanitarian Response in Emergencies

Read More

Food Security and Humanitarian Implications in West Africa and the Sahel

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

Syria: Humanitarian Snapshot

As of 17 September 2013

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

Haiti Earthquake: Three Year Report

Three years after the worst earthquake in Haiti’s history, the massive task of recovery and reconstruction continues.

Read More

CARE President Dr. Helene D. Gayle Sees Faces of Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

Leader of global humanitarian organization visits CARE's work, meets Jordan's Queen Rania and Prime Minister AMMAN (Oct. 2, 2013) - CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle visited Jordan this week to see firsthand the poverty-fighting organization's work with Syrian refugees and meet senior national leaders and officials.Over half a million Syrians who fled their homeland

Read More

CARE Haiti: Governance

CARE Haiti places strong emphasis on developing the principles of good governance in all its program sectors.

Read More
Back to Top