These Humanitarians Are Heroes

They got aid into Yarmouk. So they're obviously doing something right.

Distributing aid inside Syria - Hand in Hand for Syria (HIHFS)

Last week, Hand in Hand for Syria were in the news (again) for being awesome. After months of starvation, the besieged people of Yarmouk refugee camp, Syria, received aid from the charity last week - a major breakthrough. If you're not already aware, most charities and other international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) don't set foot inside Syria - on account of the fact that it's a really, really dangerous place.

But these guys do, and it's paying off.

So how do they do it?

First, you need people.

Volunteers at the 'Give a Hand for Syria' fundraising event - HIHFS

Each person and their contribution, whether it's money, products, expertise or manpower, supports the growing demands of the charity.

People are especially useful because they have hearts, too. Nothing even comes close to the willpower of human decency.

Second? More people.

Medical training conference for Syrian doctors, co hosted by Hand in Hand for Syria in Turkey - HIHFS

Just as important as numero uno, you need a dedicated group to make sense of it all. Professionals from multiple fields do the job pretty well, so lets call them an executive team. Luckily for Syrians, this charity has one.

Third - Have a Plan. For Everything.

Video still from BBC's Panorama Special: 'Saving Syria's Children' - BBC

The dots need to be connected, and in the safest, most cost effective way possible. The executive team does this through meticulous planning - a lot can go wrong in the most dangerous country on Earth.

Aid convoys travel with security teams and are updated on the safest routes by local humanitarians already inside Syria. Satellite phones here are a must.

The changing seasons must be anticipated too. For example, the charity delivered vitamin tablets to families across the country, six months before winter arrived. So when the snow started falling, immune systems were better equipped to cope with cold-related sicknesses.

Number Four: Ship Smart

Loading medical aid in UK, for shipment to Syria - HIHFS

Somewhere amongst all those plans and strategy are the words, "shipping and logistics", in big, bold, and probably underlined letters.

Some aid, like blankets, clothing and medical hardware are purchased or received from donors in the UK, packed into 40ft shipping containers and sailed across to Turkey, where the charity has its distribution hub.

Other things, such as medicines, food and fuel are mainly purchased from Turkey, but sometimes Syria, too. This helps keep operating costs down and boosts the response time of the charity, making them super-effective.

Five: Deliver the Goods.

A rare sight: Kidney dialysis machine at HIHFS-supported Atareb Hospital, N. Syria - HIHFS

In an ideal world, there would be enough aid for everybody, and then some. But this is simply not the case. Members of the executive team, such as the British-trained surgeon, 'Director of Medical Projects' (not the chap above), spend their time travelling around Syria and assessing where to send the aid.

For example, the charity currently supports or runs over 90 makeshift medical clinics and hospitals across Syria; they are basically propping up an entire country's healthcare system. Not only do these clinics require a constant supply of medical stock and trained doctors, but they also need fuel for their generators, which run 24 hours per day. Keeping that life support machine whirring away, or that infant incubator doing its thing, is pretty important, wouldn't you say?

The charity owns a number of large trucks for getting the shipping containers from Turkey into Syria and has a host of contacts to call upon once inside, when it comes to procuring smaller vehicles. This is probably sensible because nothing screams 'Western intervention' like a column of shiny white SUVs, plastered in UN stickers, unfortunately.

Six: Get Respect, Get Results.

Fadi al-Dairi, Operations Director at HIHFS, attending humanitarian pledging conference, Kuwait 2014 - HIHFS

In all seriousness, the right approach to humanitarianism will work wonders - more so than just throwing money at it, anyway.

A neutrality in the conflict, combined with a sheer dedication to humanity, has ensured that Hand in Hand for Syria's workers have not, to date, been targeted. This means no kidnappings, no intimidation, more access and thus, they are more attractive to work with and for.

Their grassroots approach to helping Syrians has earned them huge respect throughout Syria, and has brought them to the international stage. Consequently, they are now distributing the aid of other INGOs, not just their own.

Seven: Persevere, Persevere, Persevere.

HIHFS distributing food aid to families, Yarmouk refugee camp - HIHFS

Now don't be fooled: respect doesn't make you invincible - moving aid around Syria still comes with a strong sense of banging your head against a brick wall.

Some areas are completely cut off by the conflict - the result of a military tactic known as 'laying siege' - and so are extremely difficult to reach. This also means their people are suffering the worst: no food, medicine, hygiene products, fuel, clothing or even people get in or out.

So while delivering aid is near-impossible, Hand in Hand for Syria's team have methods of getting money in, even if it takes a while. This recently enabled the charity's affiliates to purchase 700 food parcels inside the Yarmouk refugee camp, just south of Damascus, thus curbing families' starvation.

But this isn't the only case; all over Syria the charity is trying to provide relief to blockaded people - the situation in Homs, as you may have heard, is especially bad.

Eight: Teach a Man to Fish...

Sewing workshop for widows in Homs - HIHFS

'Aid-dependence' is a bad thing, and the charity is aware of this. Nobody wants to get sucked into a negative cycle of poverty and reliance, right?

2014 will see the charity continuing to implement community projects inside Syria, which are aimed at empowering those who have lost everything. Current projects include a food kitchen, a school for orphaned and displaced children, and a sewing workshop for widows.

Getting aid and job opportunities to people in their own towns and villages not only stops them needing to leave the area (unless the security situation forces them out), but helps curb the refugee crisis too.

And Finally, Have Hope.

HIHFS-sponsored school in Homs

With the Geneva 2 talks underway, there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

The hope is that the country will eventually rebuild itself, but that can't happen while people are starving, sick and homeless.

For now, charities such as Hand in Hand for Syria will continue their work, letting Syrians know they are not forgotten, and letting suffering know it's not welcome in Syria.

Hand in Hand for Syria is making a difference.

Are you?

To learn more about Hand in Hand for Syria's work or to make a donation, please visit their website.