Winter brings new challenges to Syrian refugees in Iraq

Hadeel rubs her children’s hands to warm them up. Nights at the Bardarash refugee camp - home to more than 9,000 Syrian refugees - are getting colder.

"Last night was very, very cold. It was extreme. I closed all the zippers of the tent, held the kids next to me and started rubbing their hands to warm them up.” 

Hadeel was forced to flee her home with her four children in early October, shortly after explosions struck her hometown in Qamlishi, Syria. They walked for hours in the rain until they crossed the border into Iraq. 

Once the family arrived at Bardarash refugee camp, the UN Refugee Agency gave them shelter and a winter survival kit, which included thermal blankets, mattresses, winter clothes and plastic sheet to insulate their tent. Hadeel’s family also received medical assistance.

The UN Refugee Agency and local partners are working hard to provide care and protection to new arrivals from Syria. But the imminent arrival of freezing temperatures and heavy rains bring new challenges to an already dire situation. Refugees exposed to harsh weather conditions are more vulnerable to frostbite, hypothermia and other poor medical conditions.

Here’s how you can help:

By donating today, you can help provide Syrian refugees like Hadeel and her children with the aid and support they desperately need. Your gift will bring warmth and hope to refugee families struggling to survive this winter.