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Millions of people are suffering in the freezing cold
Cold, hunger and hopelessness determine the lives of many people this winter. In countries such as Ukraine, Syria and Pakistan, the winters are often bitterly cold and wet – the already dramatic situation for people in need is only getting worse. Therefore, in the winter months, Welthungerhilfe (WHH) offers additional emergency aid to support them.
On February 6, 2023, multiple earthquakes shook the Turkish-Syrian border region. Media report more than 50,000 dead and even more injured in both countries. The epicenter of the initial earthquake was in southeastern Türkiye near the border with northern Syria.
Icy temperatures often prevail here in winter. In several regions, a blanket of snow makes rescue work difficult. People who lost their homes are helpless in the cold.
"Aftershocks shake the region again and again, and therefore many people are staying outside in the cold and sleet because they are afraid to return to their homes," reports Jesco Weickert, Welthungerhilfe's Emergency Aid Coordinator in the region.
The people urgently need support. We are on the ground in the affected regions and are implementing emergency relief measures. Welthungerhilfe has already allocated €1,000,000 in emergency aid for this purpose.
© Glinski/Welthungerhilfe
Temperatures of up to -15 degrees Celsius are expected in Ukraine this winter. Since March 2022, we have supported the people who have become vulnerable due to the war with several measures. Currently, we are providing additional winter aid through cash assistance, for example, which people can use to stock up on essentials like fuel for heating, warm clothing and food supplies. As the mental strain on many people is enormous, we are training members of resilience groups to support traumatized people with mobile psychosocial support.
In the twelfth winter since the start of the war in Syria, temperatures in the country's devastated cities and refugee camps continue to drop below freezing. Many families and children are exposed to the freezing cold and are in urgent need of aid.
To help them buy fuel or stoves, we are distributing heating vouchers to 2,200 families. WHH is also providing cash assistance to Syrian refugees in Turkey to help them survive the winter months.
© Welthungerhilfe
© Doaba
The flood disaster in Pakistan brought hardship to millions of people last summer. Countless people lost everything – their homes and their belongings. Now winter is here: In some areas in the north of the country, temperatures are dropping as low as -10 degrees Celcius.
To help people affected by the floods in Pakistan protect themselves from the cold, we are providing winter aid on the ground: WHH is distributing warm blankets and other essentials to 2,500 households in urgent need this winter.
30€ …could equip a household in Pakistan for winter, for example.
65€ …could, for instance, support a person in Ukraine with food, warm clothes and more for a month.
140€ …could, for example, insulate a tent sheltering a Syrian family against the cold.
30€ …could equip a household in Pakistan for winter, for example.
65€ …could, for instance, support a person in Ukraine with food, warm clothes and more for a month.
140€ …could, for example, insulate a tent sheltering a Syrian family against the cold.
WHH stands for transparency and quality, verified information, and the cost-effective and goal-oriented use of donations. For this reason, the German Central Institute for Social Questions (DZI) has awarded us its donation seal. We put your donation to work with precision and responsibility. If we receive more donations than needed for a specific project, the surplus is directed toward other WHH projects that require funding.
As soon as winter approaches, the situation for many people escalates dangerously, especially for those who are already vulnerable due to displacement and poverty: they suffer from hunger and have little physical strength to counter the bitter cold. As part of our winter aid, WHH supplies families who are particularly hard hit by the frost and the current rise in prices for staple foods and petrol. For example, vouchers for food, warm clothing and fuel are distributed.
Refugee families in Pakistan, Syria and Ukraine are currently benefitting from WHH's winter emergency aid program.
Yes, your project and country-specific donation will be effective. If you opt for a funding partnership, we will use your regular donation where it is most urgently needed.
Furthermore, we take transparency seriously. Therefore, WHH regularly reports on aid projects in our annual report so that you know what happens with your donations.
We greatly appreciate your desire to support refugees with warm winter clothing or food donations. However, we ask that you refrain from making donations in kind for one important reason: WHH has made it a guiding principle to purchase relief goods, such as clothing or food, for its aid projects in the respective countries or regions in which we are active. This is not only more cost-effective but also involves the local economy and takes into account local traditions and cultural conditions.
In December 2022, the Afghan government banned women from working for local and international aid organizations. WHH, along with other international organizations, is vehemently protesting this ban and has temporarily suspended its work. This means that no distributions, training or other activities are currently taking place. Currently, talks are taking place at many political levels to find a solution to the dilemma we are facing. We want to wait for these talks, especially between the UN representatives and the government in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, we don't know at this point how things will proceed. That depends, above all, on whether Afghan women are allowed to work again. Neither we nor any other organizations have yet made a final decision about our future activities. We don't want to let the Afghan people down.
Please note: The projects described on this page are examples of our work. The photos on this page may not be an actual depiction of these projects.
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Welthungerhilfe has been holding the DZI seal of approval for donations since 1992. The seal certifies that Welthungerhilfe is handling the funds entrusted to it efficiently and responsibly.
