Support the
White Helmets

The most dangerous place in the world

When the bombs rain down, the Syrian Civil Defence rushes in. In a place where public services no longer function these unarmed volunteers risk their lives to help anyone in need - regardless of their religion or politics. Known as the White Helmets these volunteer rescue workers operate in the most dangerous place on earth.

As the conflict in Syria worsens, ordinary people are paying the highest price. More than 50 bombs and mortars a day land on some neighbourhoods in Syria. Many are rusty barrels filled with nails and explosives, rolled out the back of government helicopters -- bakeries and markets are the most commonly hit targets. When this happens the White Helmets rush in to search for life in the rubble - fully aware that more bombs may fall on the same site. These volunteers have saved 95,024 lives - and this number is growing daily.

The White Helmets Movie

For six years the headlines on Syria have been dominated by extremists and dictators, but now the spotlight is finally in its rightful place - on the incredible heroes of Syria. A new Netflix documentary, ‘The White Helmets’, from the Oscar-nominated team behind Virunga, is available for streaming on Netflix. In living rooms across the world millions of people can now walk the bombed out streets of Aleppo with these inspiring rescue workers.

We don’t always know what will make history. This could be the thing that multiplies the movement of support for the White Helmets and forces world leaders to act to stop the bombs raining down on Syrian families.

191 White Helmets have been killed saving lives. For them and for every Syrian civilian, let’s watch this film, share it with our friends, and demand support for the White Helmets and their message of peace.

Broken promises

The UN Security Council passed Resolution 2139 in 2014 which banned barrel bombs and other indiscriminate weapons. They promised to take further steps if their resolution was violated. More than two years later, thousands more barrel bombs have been dropped, killing thousands more children. The Council didn’t act.

In 2015, they passed another resolution banning the use of chlorine as a chemical weapon. They said if chemical attacks continue, they would take action under the “Chapter VII” of the UN charter - which would allow them to use force to protect civilians.

There have been dozens of chemical attacks since the Security Council spoke. By failing to act, Security Council members are emboldening the killers. Now the White Helmets are calling on them to follow through on their demands and stop the chlorine and stop the bombs.

The women saving Syria from the bombs

Almost all official members of the White Helmets were men until two women’s teams were formed in October 2014. These 140 heroic women are trained in medical care and light search and rescue work. They respond to barrel bomb and missile strikes and dig for survivors using tools and their bare hands.

In some cases, they are the only hope for other women or girls who are trapped under rubble. In Syria’s most conservative communities, people have refused to let male volunteers rescue women and girls – but the women have intervened to help those who wouldn’t have been helped otherwise. Now they’ve inspired hundreds of people across the world, from Peru to Pakistan, to donate over $100,000 to buy them the six ambulances they need for their rescue missions.