DOHA: Qatar Charity (QC) has revealed the size of relief aid provided during the first half of 2018, as the number of beneficiaries including the victims of wars, disasters and crises, reached 1,847,728 people, mainly Syrians, who were displaced and refugees.

Relief occupies a significant place in QC’s projects because of the crises that hit many countries in the region, especially Syria, said a statement.

Qatar Charity has been a pioneer in its relief interventions, as it has a specialised administration, trained teams and field offices in more than 26 countries around the world and always provides relief assistance to those in need regardless of their race, religion and gender. QC’s Humanitarian aid delivered during the first half of 2018 in 39 countries around the world, benefited those affected in conflicts, disasters and crises, mainly the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Syria and Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon.

The relief assistance has also been provided to the needy in Yemen, India, Niger, Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, Somalia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sudan, Ethiopia, Central Africa, Afghanistan, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chechnya, Morocco, Indonesia, Pakistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Tanzania, South Sudan, Djibouti, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania and Nepal.

Relief assistance delivered during the first half of 2018 covered comprehensive relief, basic winter requirements, social cohesion, livelihoods, protection, shelter, non-food items, food, health, education, water and sanitation. The amount of aid varied by crises. The aid provided to Syrians, occupied the first place, benefiting about 877,000 people, while the aid delivered to Myanmar and Somalia ranked second and third respectively.

Qatar Charity attached the special importance to the education sector, which has received the most support in the case of the Syrian crisis in view of the need in this sector. The charity also gave significant attention to comprehensive relief, food supply and health

Qatar Charity was ranked first for more than one year, in the world in terms of the relief for the Syrian people at the level of humanitarian NGOs, according to the report of Financial Tracking Services (FTS) of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Today, the world is witnessing the highest rate of displacement in the history as a result of conflicts and humanitarian challenges. Some 65.5 million people have been forced to leave their homes and villages to seek refuge. Ten million people were denied citizenship and access to basic rights, such as education, health care, employment and freedom of movement.