SARMEEN, Syria - As the death toll in Syria tops 40,000 and some 400,000 have
taken refuge beyond the country’s borders, a dearth of funding for civilian
projects in areas under Free Syrian control risks undermining efforts to keep
inhabitants united and the limited lines of communication flowing.
A number of young Syrian activist groups travel between Istanbul and cities under Free Syrian Army (FSA) control to set up local administration councils, racing to provide essential services to the population before another winter arrives amid scant electricity, dwindling access to basic necessities and continued shelling of civilian areas. The groups coordinate with medical workers in the border area and FSA members, and maintain regular contact with embassies, individual donors and local populations.
Abdullah Labwani, 27-year-old nephew of well-known dissident and physician Kamal Labwani, works with the Istanbul-based NGO Civil Administration Councils (CAC). In "another life", as he called the period leading up to the revolution, he worked as an architect and taught at the University of Damascus. From Istanbul he maintains contact with those inside Syria while trying to convince Western diplomatic representatives to send funds for medical, communications and food needs as managed by the councils...
A number of young Syrian activist groups travel between Istanbul and cities under Free Syrian Army (FSA) control to set up local administration councils, racing to provide essential services to the population before another winter arrives amid scant electricity, dwindling access to basic necessities and continued shelling of civilian areas. The groups coordinate with medical workers in the border area and FSA members, and maintain regular contact with embassies, individual donors and local populations.
Abdullah Labwani, 27-year-old nephew of well-known dissident and physician Kamal Labwani, works with the Istanbul-based NGO Civil Administration Councils (CAC). In "another life", as he called the period leading up to the revolution, he worked as an architect and taught at the University of Damascus. From Istanbul he maintains contact with those inside Syria while trying to convince Western diplomatic representatives to send funds for medical, communications and food needs as managed by the councils...
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