In virtually every culture, meal time is the center of life — when families gather to talk about the day, share jokes and enjoy each other’s company. For refugees who've fled with nothing, experiencing that daily ritual is one step they can take to rebuild their lives.

Hamid, Fatma and their children fled their hometown of Fallujah, Iraq, to escape fighting between government and rebel forces. Hamid pushed Fatma, who fell ill and couldn't walk, in a wheelbarrow for miles before reaching the UNHCR-supported Al Jamea’a camp in Baghdad.

"We came only with the clothes on our back, nothing more," Hamid explained.

Thanks to generous donor support, today the family lives in a two-room housing unit that provides safety, privacy and protection. Just as important, there is room to prepare and sit down for meals.

Although they long to return home and face an uncertain future, the family is thankful to UNHCR:

"We are so grateful to UNHCR for providing us shelter…We also received blankets, mattresses, cooking utensils and hygiene items. Our life would be so miserable and difficult without UNHCR," says Hamid.

Hamid, Fatma and their children, who were forced to flee violence in Fallujah, Iraq, sit down to a meal. UNHCR provided them with the cooking utensils and other relief items that have helped make their shelter feel more like home.

Hind, 30, with her daughter Malik, 5, preparing food. Hind and her family live in a housing unit in Baghdad's Al Jamea'a camp. After fleeing violence in Ramadi, they moved four times before finding safety at the camp.

We promise to honor your generosity and use your donation in the most effective way possible to help refugees. The catalog items shown reflect periodic surveys of the countries UNHCR operates in and represent both the need and price of critical aid items. Although each item is representative of the gift category in which it appears, donations will be used to provide assistance where it is needed most.