Where We Work

Restoring dignity in urban displacement with refugee-led partners

Refugee Protection International – RPI aids civilians in conflict-zones both through direct cross-border aid by traveling US staff and community-based volunteers (Romania to Ukraine, and aid to be sent from Egypt to Gaza/Israel), as well as by partnering with refugee-led aid groups and supporting their work financially, technically, and by shipping in-kinds humanitarian aid.

For war-affected civilians in Ukraine, RPI procures medical and relief aid in Romania and drives it into Ukraine for our partner Ukrainian hospitals, shelters, and community-based organizations.

For Gaza’s children, RPI is fundraising to partner with Kids Paradise and other community-based initiatives in the Middle East to purchase food aid and hygiene supplies in Egypt and send them into Gaza for hot meal preparation and distribution by community volunteers, with a focus on reaching children, pregnant and lactating women. One such community volunteer with KP is Marak Fada. RPI would also like to support mental health providers serving civilians affected by trauma on both sides of the ongoing conflict, as well as other professionals providing essential medical aid.

For civilians affected by the Syrian regional crisis, RPI co-designs, supports, and oversees humanitarian efforts implemented by its refugee-led/grassroots partner organizations who are registered charities in Turkey and Lebanon. RPI has done this since late 2015. RPI has also been supporting Turkish and Syrian earthquake victims with these same partners.

In the US, RPI sells refugee-made crafts from its overseas self-reliance training programs with partners in order to support displaced women with humanitarian cash-for work and to expand skills training.

Below is a list of project locations. We will continue to expand and address other crises in the world.

Locations of projects in Ukraine:

Kherson province (current)
Zaporizhzhia province (current)
Odesa province (current)
Mykolaiv province (current)
Chernivtsi province (current)
Kyiv province (past)
Kirovohrad province (past)

Location of projects in Syria (implemented by our local partners in Turkey):

Aleppo province (current)
Idlib province (current)
Eastern Ghouta (past)
Daraa province (past)

Locations of projects in southern Turkey:

Antakya (current)
Gaziantep (current)
Kahramanmaras (current)
Sanliurfa (past)

Location of projects in Lebanon:

Bekaa Valley – Central (current)
Bekaa Valley – Aarsal (current)
Shatila (past)
Tripoli (past)

Locations of projects being planned in Gaza/Israel

Rafah, Gaza (being planned via Egypt)
Central and northern Gaza (under planning, pending partner access)
Women survivors of trauma in Israel (under discussion, pending partners)

Locations of projects in Romania:

Preparedness activities in Romania support projects in Ukraine; some direct aid has gone to Ukrainian refugees in northern Romania

Shaded in grey = Countries we have projects in.

Credit: RPI adaptation of map from Google Maps

Our Partners

Ukrainian Children's & Maternity Hospitals & IDP Shelters Since March 2022, RPI has bought and delivered medical equipment, medicines, and supplies to 6 Ukrainian hospitals serving war-affected women and children and supported 2 other medical centers to evacuate surrogate newborns to the Romanian border. Partner hospitals include the Regional Children's Clinical Hospital in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Chernivtsi, Regional and City Perinatal Centers in Chernivtsi and Kherson, BSMU, BioTexCom and Dobrobut Medical Center. RPI staff's latest visit to war-damaged hospitals in Kherson was on Jan. 26th to the sound of artillery fire and reports of 55 missiles and 24 drones launched at Ukraine. RPI is humbled by the bravery of these hospitals. RPI also sends clothing, blankets, and hygiene items to Ukrainian schools and dorms that have sheltered thousands of displaced persons.
Happy Child Foundation In spring 2022, RPI staff and Ukrainian partner nonprofit Happy Child delivered aid to 2 shelters for internally displaced persons in southeast Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine and equipped independent volunteers to evacuate civilians from Polohy and other frontline villages. RPI and Happy Child launched a program to support victims of war-damaged housing in Komyshuvakha after visiting the site just a day after it was hit by rockets. RPI also collaborates with Happy Child to provide winter generators, kitchen equipment and food to the Ukrainian community shelter. Happy Child has supported cancer patients and other highly vulnerable children in the Zaporizhzhia region since 2004.
RPI delivers aid to Kherson, Ukraine with community partner "Orlivka Logistic Center for Humanitarian Aid” Based in Ukraine's Odessa region, this NGO was founded by the Reni Association of Entrepreneurs in 2022 to respond to the war's humanitarian crisis. RPI equipped its partner with a minibus and fuel to evacuate civilians and deliver relief aid to Kherson and Mykolaiv. RPI staff with Romanian volunteers do cross-border aid deliveries to this partner's border tent for displaced Ukrainians. RPI staff most recently brought surgical and neonatal equipment to the only 24/7 emergency children's hospital in Kherson (the Regional Children's Clinical Hospital) with this partner's accompaniment.
Bright Kids Charity is a humanitarian nonprofit based in Kyiv, Ukraine. In March 2022, RPI helped Bright Kids to expand cash assistance to war-displaced families providing home-based care to children with disabilities.
Odessa Charity “Way Home” has supported socially vulnerable women and children in Ukraine since 1996. RPI equipped this humanitarian non-profit partner with a minibus and full support to evacuate over 2,000 civilians from the southern frontline of the war in Mykolaiv - Kherson. RPI is selling pottery made by displaced and vulnerable Ukrainian children to expand the Way Home’s art therapy and pottery training classes to war-displaced mothers & GBV survivors with no other income.
Launched in 2012, Basmeh and Zeitooneh delivers humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees and conflict-affected civilians in Lebanon, Turkey and Syria, with a focus on women and children. This NGO is registered in Lebanon and Turkey.

Basmeh and Zeitooneh
Olive Branch has delivered education, protection, women's empowerment and livelihoods support to hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons and local civilians in Syria since 2012. This humanitarian non-profit is in headquartered in Turkey with additional offices in Lebanon, Jordan, and Germany.

Olive Branch
The Sustainable International Medical Relief Organization was established by a group of Syrian doctors in 2014. Registered in Turkey, SIMRO implements strategic medical relief projects in Syria.
Multi Aid Programs was set-up by a Syrian neurosurgeon. Registered in Lebanon by 2016, MAPS has provided over 500,000 Syrian refugees and locals in Lebanon with non-formal education, health care, continuing education, community service, and relief items.
The Union of Relief and Development Associations (URDA) seeks to be an influential reference for humanitarian work in Lebanon and the leading umbrella for grassroots initiatives with sustainable capabilities working professionally to develop the society under international standards.
Kids Paradise Organization implements projects in Turkey and Syria focused on food security and livelihoods, urgent response, shelter, protection, non-food items, water and sanitation. Founded by a group of Syrian volunteers in 2012, Kids Paradise was registered as an NGO in Turkey in 2016.

Media Gallery of Projects with Our Refugee-Led Partners