Living conditions remain devastating in refugee camps housing thousands of Syrian refugees. Darul Islamic Relief Fund (DARF) chairperson Sheikh Irfaan Abrahams returned from a mission to refugee camps along the Syria-Jordan border on Thursday, and expressed the dire need for basic essentials. These include adequate medical aid, blankets and food. Thousands of people have become displaced and children have been left orphans as Syria civil war rages on.

“We undertook the journey, myself and Sheikh Igshaan Solomons because we knew there was an urgent need for medicine and food in the area,” says Abrahams.

Although the Turkish government and NGOs are going sterling work, people are living in unsatisfactory conditions.

The alims partnered with Turkish relief agency, IHH, and entered Syria via the borders of Turkey. They also visited Jordan to provide aid and assistance to Syrian refugees living there.

Abrahams and Solomons delivered food containers to the refugees but this was not enough as conditions have worsened. They discovered that these people were falling prey to many illnesses and diseases due to disastrous slum living conditions. Abrahams and Solomons decided to go on a road trip to buy medical goods for the diseased refugees.

“We found that they are in need of basic medicines and tablets that they did not have. The situation has not improved as more civilians come into Turkey and on the borders of Syria.,” says Abrahams.

Thousands of children become orphaned as their fathers are recruited to fight in the war or have died in combat. The Darul Islam Relief Fund will be offering ongoing aid to Syrian orphans. They have adopted a few orphans and will be paying $50 a month to each orphan to IHH in Turkey.

Abrahams appeals to all South Africans to assist.

“If you want to visit an orphan in Turkey do so. These people are in need,” says Abrahams. VOC (Nailah Cornelissen)