U.S. aid cuts forced the suspension of housing and medical assistance under a humanitarian program for Iraqi and Syrian families, leaving thousands at risk of homelessness and worsening health conditions. “Now they are left homeless without any rent assistance, children have dropped out of school,” said Sara Savva, Deputy Director of GOPA-DERD.
Date: 7/25
Region: Middle East & North Africa
Country: Syria
Topic: Refugees & Displacement
Policy Lens: Security & Resilience, Migration & Mobility
Additional Context: The Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East (GOPA-DERD) is the second-largest provider of humanitarian support to refugees in Syria after UNHCR and has long served as a source of protection, education, and economic relief in northeast Syria and beyond. USAID’s longstanding support to GOPA-DERD came under the program “Life-Sustaining Humanitarian Assistance for the Vulnerable Iraqi Refugee and Syrian Families Affected by the Crisis in Syria.”
In July 2025, Oxfam released case studies that detail the impact of U.S. foreign assistance cuts. The case studies are publicly available here.
Source: Oxfam