Maram Foundation

What Maram Foundation does

Maram Foundation for Relief and Development is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit humanitarian organization founded in 2011 by Syrian-Americans, registered in Turkey with its headquarters in Gaziantep. It provides cross-sectoral humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), primarily in northern Syria. The organization's portfolio spans eight program areas: Shelter and Non-Food Items (SNFI), Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), Education, Protection, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), Early Recovery and Development, and Logistics.

Its foundational initiative was the establishment of Atmeh Camp (Olive Tree Camp) in late 2011, the first and largest IDP camp in Northern Syria, housing an estimated 29,000+ displaced persons. Maram subsequently expanded field operations across Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, and Azaz governorates in Syria, with a supporting field office in Reyhanlı, Turkey. The organization employs more than 250 staff and coordinates with UN agencies including UNHCR, WFP, and OCHA, as well as cash-transfer partner Give Directly. Co-founder Yakzan Shishakly serves as the primary media spokesperson, with appearances on CBS 60 Minutes, BBC, TRT World, and Alhurra.

The business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than revenue-generating; all services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Funding sources include individual donations, institutional grants, and UN/international organization support. No revenue figures are publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is community-led, with aid delivered directly through field teams operating in IDP camps and displacement areas, supplemented by partnerships with other INGOs and national NGOs for coordination and specialized programming.

Name

Maram Foundation

Legal name

Maram Foundation for Relief and Development

Website

https://maramfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Maram Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit humanitarian organization founded in 2011 that delivers cross-sectoral relief and development programs—shelter, food security, WASH, education, protection, and CCCM—to Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons across northern Syria and southeastern Turkey.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid services
• Refugee assistance programs
• Shelter and NFI distribution
• Food security programs
• WASH services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaziantep

HQ country

Türkiye

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Maram Foundation operates entirely on donations, grants, and institutional funding from donors, UN agencies, and international organizations to fund humanitarian programs for Syrian refugees and IDPs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Maram Foundation for Relief and Development is an international NGO that provides humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). The organization delivers cross-sectoral programs including Shelter & Non-Food Items (SNFI), Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), Education, Protection, Water/Sanitation/Hygiene (WASH), Camp Coordination & Management (CCCM), Early Recovery & Development, and Logistics, all provided free of charge to beneficiaries in northern Syria and southeastern Turkey.

Product overview

Maram Foundation for Relief and Development is a humanitarian NGO that operates as a single integrated service organization offering multiple program areas rather than a platform-based product. The organization's core programs include Shelter & Non-Food Items (SNFI), Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), Education, Protection, Water Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), Camp Coordination & Management (CCCM), Early Recovery & Development, and Logistics. The foundation's origins trace to its first initiative, Atmeh Camp (Olive Tree Camp), established in late 2011 as the first IDP camp in Northern Syria. These programs work in coordination to provide cross-sectoral humanitarian assistance and sustainable development to Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shelter & Non-Food Items (SNFI) Shelter and non-food items program providing emergency shelter, tent distribution, winterization, rehabilitation of damaged housing, and NFI kits to crisis-affected families and internally displaced persons in northern Syria.
• Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) Food security and livelihood program focused on providing long-term sustainable solutions to minimize food insecurity and mitigate disruptions to agricultural production for Syrian crisis-affected communities.
• Education Education program for Syrian children driven by the belief in education as the ultimate pathway to a better future, delivered to children in displacement areas.
• Protection Protection program guided by the principle 'Do No Harm', ensuring individuals have the right to a free and protected life, including services for at-risk populations such as orphanage residents.
• Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene program providing crisis-affected communities with sufficient access to clean and safe water in northern Syria.
• Camp Coordination & Management (CCCM) Camp Coordination and Management program managing camps and communal settlements as a last resort for displaced populations, including coordination with the broader humanitarian community.
• Early Recovery & Development Early Recovery and Livelihoods program serving as the foundation of effective humanitarian responses, focusing on sustainable recovery initiatives for Syrian crisis-affected populations.
• Logistics Logistics program providing secure, safe, and continuous access to services at IDP campsites, maintaining operations despite road damage, winter conditions, floods, and snowstorms.
• Atmeh Camp (Olive Tree Camp) The first IDP camp established by Maram Foundation in late 2011 in Northern Syria, with an estimated IDP population of more than 29,000, making it the biggest camp in the region.

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Give DirectlycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership with Give Directly to provide financial aid to families affected by the Turkey-Syria earthquake. Maram Foundation assisted 637 affected families with 9,000 Turkish Liras each, and 35 earthquake-damaged businesses with 18,000 Turkish Liras each.
• UNHCRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNHCR operational partnerships for Syrian refugee operations; referenced in Syria emergency funding gap analysis and operational updates.
• WFP (World Food Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Food Programme partnerships for food security programs referenced in Syria country briefs and operational coordination.
• OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOCHA partnerships referenced in Syria emergency operations and funding gap analysis for northwest Syria.
• Various INGOs and National NGOsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination with multiple international and national NGOs in Atmeh Camp and other operational areas, referenced in camp coordination activities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Corps: Global humanitarian and development organization with active cross-border operations in northwest Syria. Comparable to Maram in operating environment and beneficiary group, but with substantially broader geographic scope and budget envelope.
• International Medical Corps (IMC): Large international humanitarian organization delivering health, WASH, and protection programming in Syria. Overlaps with Maram on WASH and protection clusters and competes for similar UN-pooled funding in northwest Syria.
• Concern Worldwide: International humanitarian organization with active Syria programming in food security, livelihoods, and WASH. Comparable in cross-sectoral delivery model and donor base, but at significantly larger scale.
• Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC): Leading global displacement-focused humanitarian organization with substantial operations across Syria in shelter, WASH, education, and CCCM. Most directly comparable to Maram on camp coordination and shelter programming.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Major global humanitarian NGO responding to the Syria crisis with programming in protection, education, WASH, and economic recovery. Comparable in programmatic mix and beneficiary group, but at significantly larger scale and global footprint.

Direct peers

• Relief International: Global humanitarian NGO with substantial operations inside Syria delivering multi-sectoral programming (WASH, shelter, protection, food security). Comparable to Maram in programmatic focus and beneficiary profile, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Violet Organization: Syria-focused humanitarian NGO providing relief and development programming to Syrian IDPs and refugees. Comparable to Maram as a diaspora-rooted organization operating inside Syria with multi-sectoral programming.
• Syria Relief and Development (SRD): Syria-focused humanitarian NGO operating inside Syria with cross-sectoral programming for IDPs and refugees. Closely comparable to Maram in mission, geographic footprint (northwest Syria), and integrated program model.
• Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS): Syrian-American-led humanitarian organization delivering medical and relief services inside Syria and to Syrian refugees. Comparable to Maram as a diaspora-founded, US-incorporated nonprofit with parallel cross-border field operations and overlapping beneficiary populations.
• Hand in Hand for Aid and Development: Syria-focused humanitarian NGO established by Syrian diaspora providing shelter, food, education, and WASH to displaced populations. Directly comparable in mission, scope of cross-sectoral programming, and target beneficiary group.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/maramfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maram-foundation
• Xx.com/maramfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Maram Foundation