It’s been described as the worst refugee crisis since the Rwandan genocide. Since conflict in Syria began more two and a half years ago, more than 100,000 people have lost their lives while almost 9 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

Over 2 million people, more than half of them children, have now fled Syria due to ongoing violence and Za’atari, the largest refugee camp in the region, is now home to over 100,000 Syrian refugees.

Due to the generosity of Oxfam’s supporters, Oxfam has been able to provide assistance to over 220,000 people across Lebanon, Jordan and Syria – but to scale up our work to reach more than 650,000 people in need across the region by early 2014, we urgently need your help.

Oxfam is on the working on the ground to bring relief to refugees in Lebanon and Jordan, as well as responding to urgent needs in water and sanitation inside Syria. In Jordan, we’re working in Za’atari refugee camp – providing people with water and sanitation facilities. We have currently reached some 20,000 Syrian refugees with emergency latrines and have completed shower, toilet and laundry blocks to reach 8,000.

Oxfam is also coordinating hygiene training to prevent the spread of life-threatening diseases. We have held hygiene lessons with children and a tile-painting project giving them the chance to decorate the tiles in the wash blocks.

In Lebanon, Oxfam is providing vulnerable families with cash assistance and vouchers to help them afford safe housing and basic goods, such as food and hygiene products. We are improving water and sanitation conditions in households to ensure people, many of whom are living in temporary settlements, have access to safe water.

None of this would be possible without the help of Oxfam Australia supporters, who have generously contributed over $720,000 to Oxfam’s work in the region. But we still need additional support to respond to rapidly increasing needs.

With winter in the region rapidly approaching, your donation will ensure Oxfam can distribute blankets, warm clothing, fuel and heating stoves to support refugees families throughout the cold winter months.

Please give generously so we continue to provide people with the aid they so urgently need.