Current Situation - Northern Iraq
Shelter Now has worked with refugees in Kurdistan for more than two years at this point.
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Winter 2017/18 - Shelter Now has been working for over 3 years with refugees in Kurdistan
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Over the past year we have been able to provide around 90 Yazidi families with food and drinking water. In addition, a good 40 Christian families have received food-winter aid packages, which have helped to ensure their survival. Unfortunately we are still lacking the funds to provide the Yazidis with such packages.
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Drinking water taken from the pipes and wells is at best poor quality and in some cases even dangerous. In March 2017, “lifesaver jerrycans” from England were distributed to 249 refugee families. These 18 liter canisters contain a microfilter which turns contaminated water into clean drinking water.
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We have been working amongst refugees in Kurdistan since 2014 – helping in the process to reduce the refugee crisis by tackling the root causes
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We have since been able to supply many refugees with lifesaving essentials such as food, clean drinking water, blankets, winter clothes, heating stoves and so on. This is all thanks to our donors. In this way we are together ensuring that these refugees do not need to flee to the West. They are keen to return to their homes as soon as it is safe to do so.
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Impressions from Kurdistan in February 2016
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The Kurdish children (Ezidies) sing: "We are from Shingal, we don't want war and violence, we love our mountains and nature - we abominate war!"
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Dealing with the cold
In the winter months, the temperatures in Erbil, in northern Iraq, sink to just above freezing. It also rains a lot. Warm blankets and some form of heating are a necessity.
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25 euros can provide blankets for a five-member family
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60 euros will purchase a gasoline-powered heating stove and another
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170 euros covers the price of fuel for the winter