Syria: Let the Numbers Speak for Themselves

As part of my daily work at CDP, I spend time online and on the phone tracking disasters.  Some days the words and figures seem to leap off the page and I find myself astounded at the enormity, magnitude, and vastness of particular disasters. Today is one of those days, and I am finding myself breathless re-reading and absorbing the stats associated with Syria.  I thought I’d let these numbers speak for themselves.*

• 9.3 people in need of humanitarian assistance.
•  6.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
•  2.3 million refugees in neighboring countries.
•  563,706 Syrian refugees in Jordan.
•  833,382 Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
•  536,663 Syrian refugees in Turkey.
•  206,137 Syrian refugees in Iraq.
• 128,967 Syrian refugees in Egypt.
•  17 confirmed cases of Wild Polio Virus.

As I make my final preparations for Christmas, I am reminded of how fortunate I am to have a safe home for my family; access to health care, food and most everything we need. As we head into 2014, it is likely that things will get worse in Syria, before they get better, and seeing these numbers at a time of year that is supposed to be festive reinforces my commitment to findings ways to help donors help the growing number of people in need. 
* Figures reported in the USAID Syria Complex Emergency Fact Sheet.