Lisbon, Portugal - March 2023 - In the aftermath of the Feb. 6 earthquake, the Salesian Family has mobilized to support existing Salesian communities in Syria. The Salesian Mission Office of Portugal, “Missão Dom Bosco,” in particular, thanks to the generosity of its benefactors, collected and sent 15,000 euros to the Salesians in Syria who are helping the population. The Salesians are present in Syria in three cities: in Aleppo since 1948, Damascus and Kafroun since 1992. Since the very first hours after the earthquake, Salesian work in Aleppo has offered shelter, food, and support. The Feb. 6 earthquake, moreover, exacerbated the already critical situation in Syria, which has been devastated by 12 years of war, resulting in more than 306,000 civilian deaths and some 6.8 million refugees. According to UN figures, more than half a million Syrians have been displaced since the earthquake, and about 70 percent of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance. A recent report by Unicef, the UN agency for the defense and promotion of children’s rights, estimates that 3.7 million children have been affected by the earthquake.