Steadfast in Syria – A Frontline Look at UNRWA’s Lifeline Support

Highlights from our live speaker series, Let’s Talk UNRWA, episode 37

On May 21st, 2025, UNRWA USA Executive Director Mara Kronenfeld was joined by Amanya Michael Ebye, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Syria, for a conversation on UNRWA’s work on the ground in Syria, and on the reopening of the Ein el-Tal clinic – made possible by generous donations to UNRWA USA. 

You can watch the full conversation, or read on for highlights from the interview that reveals the resilience of Palestine refugees and how your UNRWA USA support is helping UNRWA in Syria rebuild homes, access medical care, and restore dignity.

Mara Kronenfeld: What does the political situation in Syria look like on the ground today? What does this environment mean for Palestine refugees?

Amanya Michael Ebye: The situation in Syria remains complex. The fall of the government on December 8, 2024, came as a surprise to many of us. In the immediate aftermath, there was a power vacuum – basic services were disrupted, there were no traffic police, many police stations weren’t functioning, and safety and security were a major concern across the country.

Since March, the new caretaker government has begun to reestablish authority. They’ve absorbed various groups and appointed an interim president, which has helped bring some stability and a clearer direction forward. That said, political challenges persist. We have had some violence between communities in the coastal region and more recently in Damascus. These incidents have been largely managed through negotiations, but the fear of violence can erupt is quite high among the Syrian population. 

Importantly, the new authorities have been supportive of Palestine refugees. We have already begun working with the Minister of Education, Foreign Affairs, Health, and others. They continue to assure us that UNRWA and Palestine refugees are welcome and that they will provide support for them, even with the limited resources that they have. 

Despite the challenges, there have been many positive changes. Freedom of movement has improved, there’s more freedom of expression, and goods are more available on the market – even though unemployment remains very high. What is quite important for all of us is hope. There is a lot of hope and optimism that both Syrians and Palestine refugees have an opportunity to develop and recover.

Mara Kronenfeld: UNRWA USA has had the wonderful opportunity to support a range of efforts in Syria, including disaster relief, shelter repair, and both cash and food assistance. Can you share more about the impact of these programs?

Amanya Michael Ebye: I would like to start off by sincerely thanking UNRWA USA and the American people for the funding and donation they have provided to UNRWA in Syria and Palestine refugees. You have stood with us through conflict, COVID-19, a devastating earthquake, and economic collapse. It has truly been one crisis after another, but what has been so heartwarming and reassuring is the support we continue to receive from donors, especially UNRWA USA.

After the earthquake struck in February 2023, around 42,000 Palestine refugees in the northwest were affected, and sadly, 20 refugees lost their lives and many homes were destroyed. With your help, we supported over 300 families in renovating their homes.

One of the most critical contributions from UNRWA USA was the provision of non-food items – blankets, mattresses, jerrycans – basic items for survival. Many people had to flee with nothing and took shelter in collective centers, some of which were UNRWA facilities. These supplies allowed them to regain a small sense of normalcy.

Beyond that, the multi-purpose cash assistance has been vital. About 40% of the Palestine refugee population in Syria is internally displaced. With the economic collapse, rent costs are rising and landlords are often demanding payments in advance. The cash assistance you’ve provided has helped families pay rent, install temporary doors and windows, and make basic home repairs to stay warm during winter. It’s helped preserve their dignity.

In Yarmouk camp, which was once home to 160,000 Palestine refugees and known as the capital of the Palestinian diaspora, we have also seen your impact. UNRWA USA was the first donor to fund minor shelter repairs there. Just $4,000 for the camp went a long way and allowed families to rebuild. When I visited Yarmouk Camp, one elderly woman took my hand, walked me to her home, and told me to come back for coffee when her house is renovated. 

There are so many stories where we’ve touched lives with your support. There are 2,200 homes in Yarmouk that need repair. We’ve started with 80 thanks to your support, and because of this momentum, other donors are now stepping up to support an additional 270 homes. That brings us to about 350 total so far, but the need remains great. Still, this kind of early support creates a self-perpetuating momentum. 

I cannot express how much joy there is on all the faces and hearts of these refugees who are benefitting from the assistance that UNRWA USA has provided. Similar programs are underway in Dera’a and Ein el-Tal, supporting hundreds of families. This work contributes directly to recovery, stability, and dignity.

Personally, this effort is close to my heart. I was displaced as a child during war. I know how life-changing it is to regain your home. So, on behalf of the Palestine refugees in Syria – thank you. Even small contributions have a huge impact. Your support brings joy and hope to those who need it most. 

Mara Kronenfeld: As you know, UNRWA USA and the American people contributed $200,000 to the reconstruction of the health clinic at the Ein el-Tal refugee camp, outside of aleppo. What does the reopening of this clinic mean for the camp, and how is the clinic serving Palestine refugees?

Amanya Michael Ebye: The support from UNRWA USA and the American people has been sincerely appreciated. I’ve received calls from residents of Ein el-Tal thanking us for reestablishing both the school and the clinic – two lifelines in the community.

When I first visited the camp in November 2017, the destruction was overwhelming. The camp had been taken over by armed opposition forces in 2014, forcing 7,000 residents to flee within 24 hours. The area was heavily bombed, and nearly all homes and UNRWA facilities were destroyed. When I came back to Aleppo, I was so shocked and traumatized by what I saw, I couldn’t eat. I’ve been in many war zones. I’ve worked in Rwanda and Darfur, but I had never witnessed that level of destruction before. It was extreme.

When I visited the camp, I met some people who had just returned because they could no longer afford rent in Aleppo. They came back to literally nothing – no clinic, no school, no water, no electricity. One old gentleman saw how shocked I was and said he was starting to rebuild his home, brick by brick. He said, “We can work together to rebuild.” That is where you see the resilience of Palestine refugees, and what UNRWA and your support make possible.

We started small. We rebuilt the structure of the clinic, but we couldn’t open it because we didn’t have equipment. Thanks to UNRWA USA, we were able to procure the equipment. It reopened in early March after being closed for 14 years. Already, it has served around 500 residents – mostly children and pregnant women. I believe 1,900 consultations have happened so far.

This means people no longer have to travel 20 kilometers into the city for medical care. We used to bring in a mobile clinic, but now there is no need. People have health care in the camp again. They have a vibrant school. We are really bringing hope back to the refugees.

I get calls from residents in the camp just to say thank you. And I want to transmit that gratitude through you to the American people – to those who donate to our work. 

Mara Kronenfeld: What motivates you to continue this crucial work?

Amanya Michael Ebye: It’s the staff and the refugees themselves. Our team in Syria never gives up – even in the face of earthquakes, COVID, or natural disasters. I’ve seen them assessing damage and preparing emergency responses within hours. We, UNRWA, were the first UN agency to put together an emergency response. When I visit the camps and see an old woman guiding me to her rebuilt home, or 1,200 children arriving at a reopened school in Yarmouk – it reminds me why we do this. 

These moments give me fuel. They show how deeply we are touching lives. This resilience – the ability to withstand a lot of difficulties without giving up, the ability not to mourn, but to choose to step forward, this is what Palestine refugees do and it has kept me moving forward.

Mara Kronenfeld: What would you like Americans to know more about Palestine refugees in Syria?

Amanya Michael Ebye: I would like to tell Americans that I have found Palestine refugees to be some of the most resilient and some of the most resourceful people I have ever worked with. 

Very few populations in the world would lose a whole camp, like Yarmouk, and still return to rebuild it with their own hands, one brick at a time. But they do. I’ve seen it. And I’ve also seen how they need us and our support. With our help, they build a home, they go to school, and they excel. With a little more support, they go to university and become the best doctors, the best surgeons. With vocational training, they become the best technical workers – the very people helping to rebuild and recover the economy.

So I just want to appeal to the American people: please contribute generously to UNRWA USA. Even $10, $20, or $30 is not small. When we put that together, we can equip Palestine refugees and help bring back hope. We can contribute to the hope that this country needs to recover.

Watch the full conversation between Mara and Amanya here—and take action for Palestine refugees in two powerful ways.

Advocate: Urge Congress to restore US government funding for UNRWA by sending a pre-written email.

Donate: Support UNRWA’s life-saving work for Palestine refugees in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.