During a brutal winter, UNHCR helps refugees stay warm

Many families will be spending winter far from home this year. In countries around the world, winter is the most dangerous time of year and people who have been forced to flee will struggle to survive the cold. Many will have no option but to choose between food and warmth as they care for their loved ones. 

This winter, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, continues to bring hope to families facing frigid temperatures and food scarcity around the world.

Ghasiba in Jordan 

Winter is the most challenging time of year for Ghasiba, who is helping to raise her three granddaughters in the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan. She is far from her home in Syria as the winter turns bitterly cold. 

Mud and water pour through Ghasiba’s shelter when it rains. When the cold becomes unbearable, she turns on the heater, but the gas runs out quickly and she cannot afford to buy more.   

“At night, I use my blanket and cover the girls. I just want them to be warm,” she says.  

UNHCR was able to help Ghasiba and her grandchildren by providing a repair kit to replace the damaged parts of her shelter. She received food assistance and bought eggs, bulgar wheat and soup to feed the children. 

“The most important thing for my grandchildren is that I want them to have a future and to be able to read,” she says. “I don’t want to see them shaking from cold or going hungry.” 

Tetiana in Ukraine

Tetiana, a mother of three children, vividly remembers when the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began. “We were very scared. We didn’t know what would happen next. We were trying to survive,” she says.  

When things became too dangerous, she fled with her children. Now that things are safer, she returned home to find her house destroyed. The roof has fallen in, and the doors and windows are broken. The rain and weather destroyed the inside of the home. 

Tetiana is receiving help with home repairs, fixing the roof and repairing the walls. “I received a stove with help from UNHCR and we are warm now,” she says. The family has also received cash assistance to help them pay for essential items. 

“I’m grateful to the people and organizations who help those who don’t know where to start, and what to do. There are so many emotions,” she says. “If the war is over, that is what will make us feel warm.” 

Mohammad in Afghanistan 

Drought and the constant threat of conflict forced Mohammad and his family to flee their home in the Rebat Sangi district in Afghanistan.  

The family moved from rental property to rental property as they struggled to pay for essential items and make ends meet.  

However, UNHCR was able to provide Mohammad and his family with their own shelter in the village of Hawadeh, Herat. They also received a bukhari, a traditional heater, which will help to keep the family warm this winter, when temperatures will likely drop below freezing. 

“We didn’t always have this before, and often had no heating or lights at night,” Mohammad says. “It gives us peace of mind to live here, and we are really happy. We live in good conditions now.” 

How to Help 

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, supports the full journey of refugees who have been forced to flee violence, war and persecution. Our donors help refugees in their greatest time of need with shelter, food, water and medical care, and their support builds awareness for resettled refugees living in the U.S. With your help, more refugees will have the opportunity to build peaceful lives and give their families a bright future.