Press Release

UNHCR and AsiaHawala launch partnership and winter fundraising campaign to support displaced people and refugees in Iraq

13 December 2021

IRAQ ,12 December 2021 - Today, Adel Essam Hameed, Deputy CEO of AsiaHawala and Jean-Nicolas Beuze, Representative of UNHCR in Iraq, signed a partnership agreement to launch fundraising campaigns to support Syrian and other refugees and Iraqi families displaced by armed violence in the past in Iraq.

AsiaHawala and UNHCR announced the launch of the winter fundraising campaign, the first of a series of seasonal campaigns, throughout Iraq. All received donations will be used to provide essential cash assistance to the most vulnerable displaced families in the country. With this financial assistance, families will be able to pay their rent, buy food or medicines and keep warm during the winter months by buying extra clothes or kerosene.

“This partnership shows the contribution of the private sector to the humanitarian response in Iraq. By joining hands, we can help more displaced families to go through their current dire living conditions. We all need to stand together to give warmth to those trying to survive the cold winter,” said Jean-Nicolas.

“AsiaHawala is proud to partner with UNHCR to assist the most vulnerable refugees and displaced people during the winter season. This partnership comes as part of AsiaHawala's efforts to stand by the most vulnerable,” said Adel.

As winter closes in, over 1.2 million IDPs and 290,000 refugees in Iraq suffer from the extremely cold weather, with many not having the financial resources for basic items like kerosene or winter clothes to keep their homes and families warm. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively and heavily impacted the economic situation of IDP and refugee families in Iraq, leaving many in debt and in desperate need of humanitarian support.

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Firas Al-Khateeb

Firas Al-Khateeb

UNHCR
Public Information Officer

Rasheed Rasheed

UNHCR
Senior Communication/PI Associate

UN entities involved in this initiative

UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Goals we are supporting through this initiative