Donations for the “Deir al-Izz” campaign in Deir Ezzor (eastern Syria) exceeded $26 million during its launch ceremony on Thursday, September 11.
Enab Baladi observed that contributions reached $26.4 million in the campaign’s first hours.
The largest donation came from the Syrian Ministry of Finance, which pledged $10 million, followed by the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) with over $2 million.
Other donors included businessman Mowaffaq Qaddah, the International Relief and Development Organization (Ansar), and the company “rar it,” each contributing $1 million.
The ceremony’s director, theater actor Homam Hout, said at the closing of the event that donations could surpass $30 million after contributions arrive from expatriates from Deir Ezzor living in European countries.
The campaign drew the participation and donations of political, media, and government figures, tribal leaders, and representatives of the Ministry of Defense, including Ahmad al-Hayes (“Abu Hatem Shaqra”) and Faheem al-Issa, as well as defected officers such as Maher al-Nuaimi.
Goals of the campaign
Musab al-Hant, the campaign director, told Enab Baladi earlier that the target is to raise more than $25 million to support the health, services, and education sectors.
He said the central initiative also aims to rehabilitate Deir Ezzor’s infrastructure and vital facilities, and to provide job opportunities, describing this as a collective effort of Deir Ezzor residents and Syrians at large. “We sensed this from the enthusiasm of donors who stand with the people of Deir Ezzor and all Syrians,” he said.
Over the past years, Deir Ezzor has suffered repeated sieges and battles, as well as rule by various groups, leading to the destruction of more than two-thirds of its infrastructure and leaving most neighborhoods without basic services.
Activists and campaign organizers said the initiative is not only about financial support but also about “reviving the city” and strengthening solidarity among its residents.
Previous campaigns in Daraa and Homs
The Deir Ezzor campaign follows similar drives in other Syrian cities, including the “Wednesday of Homs” and “Rejoice Houran” initiatives, which aimed to support reconstruction and improve living conditions, funded by local communities and expatriates with support from the Syrian government and civil society organizations.
The “Rejoice Houran” campaign launched in Daraa on August 30, raising $37.3 million in donations to date, according to its official website.
Meanwhile, Homs governorate and the Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with the Molham Volunteer Team, organized the “Wednesday of Homs” conference on August 13 to present development projects in water, education, and public services for funding.
On September 4, the Syrian Development Fund was launched in the presence of Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, who said the fund represents the beginning of a new phase of reconstruction after years of destruction and displacement.
Al-Sharaa accused the “defunct regime” of destroying the economy, looting public wealth, and displacing the people, stressing that the fund’s stage would mark a step toward “the return of the displaced” and calling on Syrians inside and outside the country to contribute to its projects. He described participation in reconstruction as “an honor for every citizen” rather than charity.
He pledged a high level of transparency, vowing to disclose every lira spent on strategic projects, and considered today’s achievements possible only thanks to the “sacrifices of martyrs, the missing, and the displaced,” describing donations to the fund as “a trust owed by the living to the blood of the victims.”
During the launch ceremony, the Syrian government raised over $60 million for the fund.
The post “Deir al-Izz” campaign launches in Deir Ezzor, Syria with over $26 million in donations appeared first on Enab Baladi.