The Syrian war seems to be nearing its final stages, but there is no end to the suffering of the people affected by the conflict. “Half a million people have lost their lives and millions have been displaced, but the scale of human suffering cannot be expressed in numbers,” said Janine Lietmeyer, Head of Middle East program at Malteser International, the Order of Malta’s worldwide relief agency. “The country has witnessed severe physical and economic devastation. The economy has collapsed by 50% since the war began in 2011 and many people are living in extreme poverty as unemployment and desperation continue to prevail. The war has also left profound marks in the fabric of the Syrian society which is now almost devoid of social cohesion. Academics, professionals and skilled workers have left the country in droves, most likely never to return.”