"War has made us all old"

Saturday, November 22, 2014

For families that have already fled a war, the onset of the freezing winter is one more burdensome challenge they are forced to confront. More than 1.9 million people are displaced in Iraq, and UN reports say that at least 600,000 of them are in immediate need of winterization assistance.

At a site on the outskirts of the city of Dohuk, World Vision is providing winterization kits to over 100 families residing in this informal settlement. Over the coming weeks, the aid agency hopes to reach more than 2,000 households.

Children have gathered to watch as mattresses, blankets, and carpets are offloaded from large trucks. Two lines have formed, one for men, the other for women and the elderly. One woman waits in line, a daughter clinging to her side.

“It’s growing so cold. … I don’t know how it can get worse,” says Zareh.

“It’s growing so cold. … I don’t know how it can get worse,” says Zareh, 35, a mother of five. Zareh, her husband and their children live in a shelter protected by plastic tarps. “It’s been raining every day.  Everything is wet or destroyed and it gets very cold, too.”

Ahead of winter, struggles and shortfalls

But as the hot summer has slipped away, families who sought safety in Dohuk are questioning how long they will be displaced. They did not plan to stay the winter. Now, there is no time to dream of return, as leaking tents, freezing nights, and sick children are top priority. 

“Temperatures have already begun to drop and heavy rains have wrought havoc for people living in tents or exposed building sites,” says Ashraf Yacoub, response manager for World Vision.

“Temperatures have already begun to drop and heavy rains have wrought havoc for people living in tents or exposed building sites,” says Ashraf Yacoub, response manager for World Vision.

In Iraq, the needs are massive but funding has not kept pace with the growing number of displaced persons. The UN is reporting a funding shortfall of $176 million to assist families in their preparations for the wet snow and cold.

“We’re concerned that children and the elderly, those most vulnerable, will face even greater health risks when the snow comes,” says Yacoub. “We’re trying to fill gaps, distributing tarps, rope, blankets and mattresses,” he says. “But, the needs are great, and time is short.”

Families like Zareh’s do not have the resources to purchase much needed items that could ensure their family is protected from the elements in this mountainous area where temperatures will likely drop to -15 Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit) this winter.

“Our family had no savings,” Zareh says. Gesturing to an older woman standing next to her in the distribution line, she adds: “This woman bought us foam mattresses, otherwise we would have nothing.” The family still needs more mattresses, blankets, and clothing. A carpet will provide extra warmth, better than the cardboard they have been using.

“This war has made all of us old,” says Zareh. “How do you think it affects the children?  We can’t control them as before. Here, we are in the wild,” she says. She tells how a boy was hit when he ran into the busy boulevard next to their camp. Cars speed past while children are playing only yards away. 

The cold camps of Dohuk are far from the comfortable homes people were forced to flee when extremists violently took control of their towns, three months ago.

Little Dakhlil, 5, speaks about his favourite Tom & Jerry cartoons that he used to watch on their television. There is no television in the small tarp-covered space his family now shares. 

“We want to go back to our house, to our friends, to our way of life,” Zareh says. “We had a good life.” 

Nearby, his sister, Samira, 12, is singing a traditional song to her friends.

“My sweet come to me. My rose come to me….”

“We want to go back to our house, to our friends, to our way of life,” Zareh says. “We had a good life.” 

You can help support the work World Vision is doing to protect children through the winter months, here.