From Halifax to Syria: Fundraiser targets medical crisis

A recitation of the Qur’an echoed through St. Mary’s Boat Club in Halifax as tables of dates and water awaited the Ramadan sunset, while members of the Muslim community gathered to support Syrian families in need of medical care. 

Atlantic Humanitarian Relief (AHR) brought together a mostly-Muslim audience on Friday, March 13, for a feast to break the daily Ramadan fast. Presenters emphasized the spiritual significance of Ramadan, and the importance of giving during the Muslim holy month.

“Today’s event aims to raise funds for two main projects,” AHR team lead Dania Sadek told The Signal. “One is to renovate orphanages in Damascus, Aleppo and Homs (Syria), and the other is to provide hearing aids for people who cannot hear. Even a penny can change a life.” 

Syria’s humanitarian crisis stems from protests that began in March 2011 against Bashar Al-Assad’s dictatorship. What had started as a series of pro-democracy, anti-government protests morphed into region-wide uprisings and armed rebellions known as the Arab Spring.  

In Syria, citizens demanded democracy, political reform, and freedom after teenagers were arrested and tortured for anti-regime graffiti. A devastating civil war followed. The conflict lasted 14 years, displacing millions and severely damaging Syria’s healthcare system.

Although political conditions shifted following the country’s liberation in December 2024, access to medical care remains limited. Hospitals, infrastructure and essential services continue to be rebuilt, leaving many without treatment for chronic and urgent conditions. 

Atlantic Humanitarian Relief was founded in 2013, initially focused on Syrian refugees in Jordan. The organization expanded into Syria for the first time in 2025. AHR has since launched fundraising campaigns to support medical missions for those unable to afford care.

Inside St. Mary’s Boat Club, the atmosphere quickly shifted after the Ramadan fast was broken. Conversations picked up, as plates filled up with rice, meat dishes, salads and desserts. Volunteers walked through the room, welcoming guests and serving the food. 

AHR representatives took the stage, sharing photos and videos of their work in Syria. The images showed the scale of destruction and the conditions faced by families, orphans and displaced people in need of medical care. 

Several attendees told The Signal they hope to volunteer with AHR, and potentially travel to Syria, to support its work on the ground. Mohammad Al Masalmeh, an AHR volunteer and photographer, said the work includes rebuilding hospitals, schools and homes, while also addressing ongoing health needs.  

Al Masalmeh was a refugee in Jordan in 2013 where he first connected with AHR volunteers. 

“I fell in love with the idea of the work being done, ” he said. “I started working with them towards 2015. At the time, we were a small team of around 30 people. We worked with Syrian orphans in Al Zaatari camp, and had another campaign where we tended to all medical cases.” 

Al Masalmeh said he was surprised to meet AHR team leader Dania Sadek, in Halifax, at an annual Ramadan bazaar hosted by business owner and community member Lama Issa. He said he could not believe AHR had a presence locally, adding he wanted to get involved right away.  

As the evening went on, guests lingered after the meal as conversation, laughter, greetings and words of thanks filled the room. Members of Halifax’s Syrian community shared stories as they reconnected and spoke about the importance of staying engaged with issues affecting their home country. 

“We don’t really talk about Syria that much anymore because there is so much going on in the world,” said Abdulkarim Angel, an AHR representative. “That is the problem. We think this country has been liberated from oppression, let’s move on to something else. Actually, it is the opposite — this is when the real work actually starts.” 

The gathering was driven by a shared purpose — to ensure Syria is not forgotten, even as global attention shifts. For Sadek, the fundraiser is one step in a longer journey.  

“The medical crisis, it’s unfinished,” she said. “It’s unspeakable, honestly. Every penny counts, every volunteer counts, every donation counts.”