PRESS RELEASE – 25 July 2012 SYRIA - DAMASCUS
PU-AMI organizes emergency daily water trucking to 5,000 people
The NGO Première Urgence – Aide Médicale Internationale (PU-AMI) started emergency daily water
rd
trucking for 5,000 people relocated in several Damascus schools on Monday July the 23 . “ Thousands of
families fled their neighborhoods because of the ongoing violence. The poorest relocated with friends or
family or in schools and parks of the city” says Alexandre Giraud, Middle East desk manager for PU-AMI.
Emergency water trucking in Damascus
“One of the main necessities for the relocated families is water. In some schools, classrooms are full and the
new coming families have to stay outside in the playground, with a currently temperature of 40 degrees in
Damascus. That is why Première Urgence – Aide Médicale Internationale has organized water trucking in
these schools.”
Since Monday, PU-AMI has distributed every day 55,000 liters of water to 5,000 people in 10 schools,
distributions that will continue in the following days, thanks to Unicef support.
« This action is a first step towards Syrians, victims of the ongoing conflict. The needs in Damascus and
other cities of the country are huge and hopefully we will be able to continue our humanitarian intervention in
partnership with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent” explains Alexandre Giraud.
The humanitarian situation in Syria is deteriorating every day, leaving an estimated 1,500,000 people in need
of assistance.
PU-AMI in Syria since 2008
For the last four years, the non-governmental organization PU-AMI has set up education projects for Iraqi
refugees in Damascus neighborhoods. The organization is working directly in the schools, welcoming both
the Iraqi refugees and the Syrians. The NGO rehabilitates schools, organizes academic support courses and
professional training for students. In the recent weeks, PU-AMI is one of the very few international NGOs that
have received approval to provide humanitarian aid to conflict affected population in Syria, in close
collaboration with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC).
Media contact : Annabel Hervieu [email protected] / 01 80 88 72 64 ou 01 80 88 72 83
Notes : • Première Urgence – Aide Médicale Internationale (PU-­‐AMI) has been working under “Première Urgence” name in Syria since 2008. For the last four years, with the funding of UNHCR and UNICEF, 32 primary and secondary public schools have been rehabilitated and 2 new public schools built and equipped to increase the school capacities. More than 18,000 schoolchildren and students benefited of remedial courses and free exam preparations while more than 500 Iraqi students and adults benefited of vocational training courses. • Première Urgence – Aide Médicale Internationale is a non-­‐governmental, not-­‐for-­‐profit, non religious and apolitical organization working in the international solidarity field. In April of 2011, Première Urgence and Aide Médicale Internationale have merged to provide a better and more comprehensive response to the fundamental needs of the underserved populations. PU-­‐AMI is an organization with the objective to provide direct assistance and contribute to the empowerment of populations. In 2011, PU-­‐AMI has developed projects in 19 countries thanks to 2200 employees providing 3 million of people with health access, food security, water, economic recovery and reconstruction assistance.