A young girl at a shelter in Ar-Raqqa city after fleeing conflict.
Children are paying the price of war – they need your help now
Fifteen years of conflict have stolen the safety of an entire generation. Today, 7.5 million children in Syria – more than ever before – need humanitarian help just to survive.
2.45 million are out of school. Half a million young children face life-threatening malnutrition, and one in four under five are already stunted.
Nearly 300,000 explosive devices lie buried in fields, playgrounds and roads, turning everyday life into a minefield. Since 2011, almost 14,700 children have been killed or injured.
Ninety percent of families now live below the poverty line – with nothing left to shield their children from what comes next.
Every day this crisis continues, more children are pushed to the edge.
But you can change this. With a donation today, you can be a lifeline for children in desperate need. You can help UNICEF deliver life-saving food and safe water this minute, and help families prepare for the crises to come.
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On the ground helping Syria’s children for decades
For nearly 60 years, UNICEF has stood by Syria’s children. Today, six field offices and 260 dedicated staff mean we can reach children the moment they need us – all thanks to people like you.
We have mobile health teams delivering care in areas where clinics no longer function. In 2025 alone UNICEF staff vaccinated 2.1 million children, screened 1.36 million for malnutrition, and treated nearly 20,000 for severe wasting.
UNICEF restored safe water to 4.1 million people, delivered education to 3.7 million children, and reached over 1.5 million people with child protection services.
This is what we do – but we can’t keep doing it without you. And the need for children in Syria, after so much war and destruction, is immense. Please give your support today.
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Shams, 4, has her hair dried by her grandmother Leila. She is only able to shower every 10 days due to water shortages.
In Syria, dirty water is deadly
Leila, 63, from Rural Damascus, would often see things moving in the water she gave her grandchildren.
“I remember nights when they couldn’t sleep because of diarrhoea and stomach-aches,” she said. “We knew it was because of the contaminated water, but all we could do was to take some medicine.”
Water is in such short supply, Leila had to limit the children’s access to basic hygiene.
“My grandchildren were allowed to shower only once every ten days,” she said.
UNICEF has now provided Leila and her neighbours with a more consistent water supply, but her story is common across Syria. And this lack of safe water is also worsening a severe hunger crisis.
You can help change this today with a donation to UNICEF’s life-saving work for children.
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Abd, 3, his sister Malak, 1, and their mother Manal at a UNICEF-supported health centre in Aleppo.
‘We feared losing them’
Manal, from Aleppo, struggles to provide enough food for her four children.
“We never have enough food. The house is full of hungry children,” she said. “My husband and I used to cry every night when our children went to bed hungry. They were too thin, and we feared losing them.”
Manal’s children were screened at a UNICEF-supported clinic and diagnosed with malnutrition.
Thankfully they are now recovering. But continued conflict means many more children are in urgent need of nutritional support. Without it, their lives could be at risk. They need help today.
An Irish connection
Ireland has long-supported Syria through its years of conflict. UNICEF teams have visited several times to see first-hand the work people like you have funded, including UNICEF Ireland's Executive Director Peter Power, pictured right with children in Syria. You can help ensure this life-saving work continues with a donation today.
Thanks to our supporters, UNICEF has provided:
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Over 1 million people
with nutrition services.
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More than 448,000 children
and 180,000 women with micronutrient supplements.
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Over 14 million people
access to safe water quality through water disinfectants.
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Hygiene supplies
to over 400,000 people living in displacement camps.
Your donation saves children’s lives
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€ 0
With €100 you can provide thermal blankets to keep 17 children warm and protect them from the cold
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€ 0
With €150 you can give enough emergency food to treat 23 malnourished children for a week
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€ 0
With €250 you can supply enough clean drinking water to keep 50 families safe.
Donate now
Will you rush help to children in Syria?
Other Ways to Donate
You can make a donation by phone by calling 01 878 3000, from Monday to Friday between 9:00 – 5:30pm.
You can send your donation by post to Freepost; UNICEF Ireland, 33 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin D01 R283.
In the unlikely event that the funds raised exceed UNICEF’s funding requirements for this appeal, your donation will be directed to where the need is greatest.