ReliefWeb

Under the slogan "Warmth and Peace", Qatar Charity (QC) launched its 2020-2021 winter campaign, targeting nearly one million persons, including the displaced, refugees, the needy and the affected, in 19 countries across Africa, Asia, and Europe, at a total cost of approximately 66 million Qatari riyals.

The launch of the campaign took place during a press conference, which was held at Qatar Charity’s headquarters, attended by Mr. Faisal Rashid al-Fehaida, assistant CEO for the International Operations and Partnerships Sector and Mr. Khaled AlYafei, Director of the Projects Department, and moderated by Mr. Ahmed Al-Ali, Director of the Media and Communication Department.

The campaign came in conjunction with the deployment of winter relief convoys for the Syrian displaced and refugees on the Turkish-Syrian border, and for the needy in the Kyrgyz capital.

Target Group

The campaign seeks to provide urgent winter aid to refugees and the displaced in Syria, Yemen, Palestine, Jordan, Bangladesh and other countries in the fields of food, shelter, health and education. The campaign focuses on the countries going through crises and exceptional circumstances, as well as on the countries facing a harsh winter with temperatures below zero.

The campaign also concentrates on those affected by the coronavirus in the regions of asylum and displacement and remote areas, in addition to providing winter bags for orphans sponsored by Qatar Charity in Kosovo, Palestine, Nepal, Pakistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Albania, Tunisia, Lebanon and Jordan.

Speaking at the press conference, Mr. Faisal Rashid Al-Fahida, Assistant CEO for the International Operations and Partnerships at Qatar Charity, said, “Qatar Charity always launches winter campaigns, in conjunction with providing the winter supplies for the displaced and refugees living in camps before the severe cold season comes.”

He also added that this winter campaign of Qatar Charity is expected to benefit more than 937,000 persons within and outside Qatar, especially refugees, the displaced persons and those most in need, as well as those affected by the coronavirus, which has aggravated their suffering. He also noted that the campaign is expected to provide these vulnerable with food, clothing, and heating items to keep them warm and help them survive the blistering cold of the winter.

Al-Fahida thanked donors, both individuals and institutions, who supported the "Warmth and Peace" campaign last season, which contributed to lessening the sorrow of the affected individuals and families. He also urged people in Qatar, both citizens and residents, to provide further support to the campaign this year, due to the challenging situations in light of the coronavirus pandemic, which escalated the hardship of the vulnerable, especially in regions of asylum and displacement, as well as, in remote areas.

Within Qatar

Al-Fahida explained that the campaign, as usual, targets workers within the State of Qatar where winter bags full of warm clothes, blankets and other items are expected to be distributed to them, in addition to the distribution of food baskets to them. He pointed out that the distribution of winter aid will take place in areas where the workers live, and awareness workshops, and medical examinations will be conducted for them.

Al-Fahida stated that many public and social programs and events like ‘Snowball’ and ‘Tree of Hope’ will be held in several commercial complexes, to raise awareness about the challenging situations faced by refugees in winter. The campaign is expected to benefit 16,500 people, at an estimated cost of more than 1.3 million Qatari riyals.

Outside Qatar

Mr. Khaled Al-Yafei, Director of Projects Department, said that the campaign aims to provide aid to more than 921,000 refugees, the displaced, and the poor in 18 countries to meet their winter needs and ease their hardship, at an estimated cost of 64 million Qatari riyals.

Al-Yafei pointed out that the campaign focuses on countries going through crises and exceptional circumstances, noting that it seeks to provide meals, food baskets, tents, winter clothes, blankets, heaters and fuel to help them survive the harsh winter. He also emphasized that relief convoys will continue throughout the cold season to provide the intended vulnerable with essentials, in addition to providing the necessary medical equipment and means for prevention and disinfection.

Countries

The targeted countries include Syria, Turkey, Palestine, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, Kenya, Tunisia, and Chad, in addition to Rohingya refugees.

The campaign aims to provide the winter essentials in five main areas: food, shelter, health, education and non-food items, by delivering food baskets, winter clothes, blankets, heaters, fuel, tents, temporary housing units, and shelter necessities.

Besides, the campaign seeks to deliver the necessary medicines and medical supplies during the predominance of seasonal diseases to protect the poor, refugees, the displaced, and those with chronic diseases and urgent cases.

Furthermore, the campaign strives to provide means for prevention and disinfection in light of the coronavirus pandemic, and support the continued education of children and youth in areas of asylum and displacement to ensure that they do not drop out of school.

Last Winter Campaign Achievements

The 2019-2020 winter campaign of Qatar Charity managed to deliver assistance to more than 1.2 million refugees, displaced persons and needy people in 13 countries, at a total cost of over 67 million Qatari riyals. As part of the campaign, Qatar Charity provided relief, food, shelter, and health aid, in addition to delivering winter assistance and extending social cohesion and livelihood support.

The assistance also included the distribution of winter bags to orphans in nine countries. The bags had winter clothes, a blanket, and food items. Under the “For Humanity” initiative, assistance worth QR11mn were distributed to refugees in Iraq, Yemen, and Jordan, in cooperation between Qatar Charity and UNHCR.