IMPACT’s central executive committee has approved a €100,000 donation to support Concern International’s work with refugees in north Syria and neighbouring Lebanon. The cash comes from the union’s developing world fund, made up of 3% of each member’s union subscription, which helps trade union solidarity and development projects around the world.

The two-year Syrian conflict has seen over 100,000 people killed and many more injured. There are more than four million people displaced within the country, plus another two million refugees in neighbouring countries like Lebanon.

Basic public services like water, sanitation, education and healthcare have virtually collapsed in parts of the country where hospitals and other facilities have sustained war damage and supply lines are disrupted. Thousands of public servants are working for free to try to provide services. In Lebanon, the huge numbers of refugees have put public service infrastructure under immense strain.

IMPACT’s contribution will specifically support Concern’s work in water, sanitation and education projects, which work with existing communities and public service providers to sustain services, maintained by local communities, into the future.

This is just one of many projects funded by IMPACT members through the union’s developing world fund, which has donated over €7 million to trade union and other development projects since its establishment in 1991.

You can find out more about Concern’s work in Syria HERE.