We’re thrilled to let you know that Action Syria will be on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 8 March! We’ll be presenting a Radio 4 Appeal, sharing about our vital work restoring education and enabling opportunities for Syrian children.
The appeal will be made by the incredible actor Toby Jones and will be broadcast at 7.54am and 9.25pm on Sunday 8 March, as well as 3.27pm on Thursday 12 March. So, mark your calendars to remind you to tune in and support the appeal.
Toby Jones is widely recognised for his appearances on screen and in the theatre. Most recently, he has completed a successful run as Iago in Othello (at the Haymarket Theatre, London) and returned to reprise his role as Colin Tattersall in the hugely successful Paramount Plus show Mobland. Other roles include Hijack, Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Infamous, Mr Burton, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Jurassic World and the Harry Potter films. Toby began supporting our vital work in December 2024 when he read at Action Syria Carols. Just days later, the Assad regime fell marking a significant turning point for Syrians.
During the appeal, Toby will be sharing the inspiring story of eleven-year-old Limar – who returned to the classroom after years of displacement — and how access to safe education changed everything for her.
For children like eleven-year-old Limar, restoring access to education is the first step towards rebuilding a future.
At the start of 2025, after the fall of the Assad regime, Limar and her family were able to return to their home in rural Damascus. Limar couldn’t wait to get back to school, excited to learn and make new friends. But, like many other schools in Syria, 14 years of conflict had left the school in a state of disrepair. Classrooms were overcrowded and unsafe, desks were broken and basic facilities like toilets, water and electricity were missing or damaged.
But, this year, things changed for the better. Thanks to Action Syria and our local partner, Abjad Initiative, Limar’s school was rehabilitated. Toilets and electricity were restored, doors, windows and roofs were repaired, and classrooms made suitable for learning. Teachers at Limar’s school also received specialist training, helping them support children’s learning and emotional wellbeing after years of disruption. Today, around 900 girls and boys are back in class there – learning in safe and encouraging environment, just like all children should.
For Limar, school is now safety, routine, friends — and the belief that her future can be brighter.
For Syrian communities, who have experienced 14 years of conflict and displacement, restoring education is about more than just getting back children back to the classroom – it is the opportunity for communities to rebuild and shape their own futures.
Anas Darkawi, Interim CEO at Action Syria says: “Education is a human right. When you educate a Syrian child, you uplift a family, strengthen a community, and shape the future of the country.”
In the lead up to this appeal, we asked some of our Syrian staff, ambassadors and supporters to share what restoring access to education means to them:
Over 2 million children in Syria are still out of school. We need your support to help more children like Limar get back to learning and restore opportunity for the next generation of Syrian children.
Listen and donate to our BBC Radio 4 Appeal from 8-14 March.
Keeping supporters clued up on our work is important to us. Sign up to keep up to date with where the funds go and the impact they have, and how you can support us.
