DAMASCUS, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Bahrain's Royal Humanitarian Foundation and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have signed a two-million-U.S.-dollar grant to support the rehabilitation of war-damaged homes for returning families in northern and southern Syria, state media reported Thursday.
Under the agreement between the foundation and UNHCR, the project will focus on restoring housing in al-Zerbeh town in the western countryside of Aleppo and Harasta city in the Damascus countryside, according to state news agency SANA.
UNHCR Syria spokeswoman Celine Schmitt said the grant will enable the rehabilitation of about 470 damaged apartments, benefiting nearly 2,350 people. Priority will be given to the most vulnerable households, including female-headed families and people with disabilities, she added.
The rehabilitation work will restore structural safety by repairing walls, roofs, and foundations, and improve living conditions by installing solar-powered lighting and repairing basic water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities.
The initiative comes amid broader efforts by Syrian authorities and international partners to facilitate the return of displaced families to heavily affected areas, following years of conflict that damaged housing and basic infrastructure across the country. ■
