Beyond Facebook: 5 ways you can actually help Syria

It didn't take long for the world to churn up a reaction to the recently renewed violence in Syria's Aleppo, which left more than 250 people dead, destroyed much of the city and rendered it quite close to a humanitarian disaster.

However, that reaction was largely present on social media, and while trending hashtags and red profile pictures might help in raising awareness about the Syrian crisis, it does little to help the people suffering on the ground.

For a war-torn country where underfunded aid organizations are struggling with dwindling supplies and whose fleeing former-citizens are risking their lives every day to find refuge elsewhere, there are more effective ways to help.

Whether it's aiding the humanitarian work done inside Syria or easing the increasing suffering of its refugees, these are proactive ways to support the Syrian cause.

There are several aid organizations that have programs working to provide medical aid, food, clothing and other vital resources inside Syria. These include the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Rescue Committee (IRC), UNICEF, Save the Children and Hand in Hand for Syria, which was set up by a network of Syrians living in the UK and only works inside Syria. In addition, The White Helmets works on rescue operations during bombings.

A variety of work is being done by organizations and groups to help refugees. Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) provides professional search and rescue to save lives of refugees at sea, the UN Refugee Agency (UNCHR), Oxfam and Mercy Corps provide humanitarian aid to Syrian refugee camps both inside Syria and in neighboring countries, while Refugees Welcome helps refugees find proper housing in Europe through flat-sharing.

If donating is not possible, you can use fundraise through online crowdfunding sites or set up a fundraising team in your community, to support any of the aforementioned international organizations. Moreover, you can also volunteer at local or community initiatives that are working in Syrian refugee camps in your country.

There are several initiatives that tell the stories of Syrian refugees as an empowering way to provide the alternative perspective on the crisis. These include The Worldwide Tribe, which shares stories from refugee camps, Refugee TV, which is working on becoming Europe's first TV station run by refugees, and Avaaz, an online campaigning network that helps global citizens take action on issues that matter to them. Avaaz has a variety of campaigns and petitions to support the Syrian cause, such as a global petition to find a humane and fair response to the refugee crisis .

One of the causalities of war that goes unnoticed is identity, in the middle of chaotic media coverage and a humanitarian crisis, Syria's culture, history and heritage can easily be forgotten. Learning about Syria's incredibly rich culture and history, sharing that information and supporting initiatives bringing them alive can go a long way to help Syria regain its identity and to remind the world about what lies beyond the destruction in the news.