Maggie Tookey, a Syrian Relief volunteer for EDA

Diary - Saturday February 18

On my way down from the Syrian border area after 6 days of very cold and snowy weather. It's been one of the hardest winters experienced by the refugees and by the local Lebanese population. I've been moaning all the time - no hot water - bitingly cold - no central heating. What do I know of non-stop misery in the camps! Just what I see and that's bad enough. However, our EDA work has been going on apace and it's great to see the difference it's making to people's lives. Our workshop for both Syrian and Lebanese women is not only a hub for socialising away from the camps but also a place to make clothes, rugs and items to sell. 

Our vocational training centre for young people offers a chance to learn a skill and possibly employment at the end. This is already happening. Our aid distribution centre is endlessly busy dispensing warm clothing, bedding, woolly hats and gloves and many things to help with the challenges of winter. None of this would be possible without our dedicated team who work tirelessly, efficiently and with much empathy. Our new school for 700 children is now up and running and we are soon to add another 5 classrooms - another new school will be started soon.

The severe winter weather has meant even more demand on our resources and we've had many people arriving at the office in desperate need of help. I've been all over the place trying to answer as many of these needs as possible - a large school which needs heating oil so that pupils can carry on learning. New families arriving from war torn areas of Syria who come with nothing. They need much support. A centre for badly injured and disabled children who now have no money for rent and no heating oil. So it goes on. We try to do as much as we can but it’s never enough. We'll just go on trying.