Islamic Relief supports displaced communities in northern and central Iraq
The crisis hit the headlines internationally in July and August as armed militants took control of several towns and cities from government forces. But the current conflict began over six months ago, and Islamic Relief has provided food parcels to 27,000 families in this period.
We’ve also distributed over 30,000 items of clothing and provided clean water, toilets and soap in partnership with Unicef to thousands of people in the mainly Yazidi city of Sinjar.
“The Qur’an says that if you save one life it is as if you have saved the whole of mankind,” says Jehangir Malik, Islamic Relief’s UK Director. “Our approach in Iraq reflects how we work all over the world – helping save lives and protect the most vulnerable from all communities, regardless of race or religion.”
This is the worst humanitarian crisis Iraq has faced since 2006. UN figures suggest at least 1,300 people have been killed, and over 1,250 injured. Over 1.2 million Iraqis have fled their homes to try to find shelter and security in safer places.
Those displaced by the fighting have dispersed to 1,400 locations across Iraq. Many left their homes with only the clothes they were wearing. Some are staying with families but many are sheltering in churches, schools, mosques, unfinished buildings and increasingly in makeshift refugee camps. Thousands are living without basic necessities such as access to clean water and latrines.
Since the beginning of this crisis, Islamic Relief has been working tirelessly with other humanitarian agencies – including Unicef and the UN’s World Food Programme – to provide assistance to people across a wide area in Anbar, Ninewa, Saleheddin and around Erbil.
We have distributed 26,987 food parcels across Iraq – 23,237 of these during Ramadan and a further 3,750 in partnership with the World Food Programme.
Recipients of our food parcels have included Syrian refugees and 1,500 Iraqi Christian families fleeing from Iraq’s second city, Mosul. The Christian families we assisted had taken refuge in the Ninewa districts of Al-Hamadanya and Ba’sheqa, where our food distribution was coordinated in partnership with the local church.
We have been able to deliver 5,600 hygiene kits, 1,100 sanitation kits and 15 large water tanks across Anbar since the crisis began, working in partnership with Unicef. We also provided clothing to 7,000 Iraqis affected by flooding in April that damaged over 10,400 homes and inundated agricultural land.
Islamic Relief will continue to deliver aid and assistance to those affected by the crisis in Iraq. We are currently implementing another project with Unicef, which has already provided 30 portable toilets, 10 bathrooms, 14,000 bars of soap and 23,400 litres of water for displaced people in Sinjar.
To support our work in Iraq, please donate to our Global Emergency Fund. This is the fund that we draw from to tackle major emergencies around the world as swiftly and effectively as possible. We are currently drawing from this fund to respond to the crisis in Iraq.