For refugees, your support means everything.
About the Cold Truth
This year, people across the UK have shown incredible solidarity with families forced to flee war, violence and persecution around the world.
But over the coming months, people fleeing conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine will face freezing temperatures far from home. And the cold truth is, without support, many refugees will struggle to survive the winter.
Find out how refugees like Hamad, Om Saker and Shatha are preparing for the bitterly cold weather with help from UNHCR, and how you can get involved.
For refugees, your support means everything.
Hamad’s Story
Displaced by the Syrian conflict, Hamad and his family have lived in a refugee camp in Lebanon since 2015. Last winter when the rains began, the family’s tent was completely flooded. Hamad and his wife spent the whole night dredging the water out by hand, so their children wouldn’t freeze or fall ill. This year, UNHCR is supplying Hamad and countless other families with plastic sheeting and insulation materials to weather-proof their shelters, and keep their loved ones safe and dry over the winter months.
Om Saker’s Story
Om Saker is a single mother of three. She and her children were forced to flee their home in Hatra, Iraq in 2015, in order to escape war and persecution during the ISIS invasion. Om Saker dreads the winter months and worries desperately about how she’s going to keep her children warm and safe as the weather gets colder. In the past, UNHCR’s winter cash assistance has been a lifeline for Om Saker and her family. A payment of just £100 helped cover her needs for 3-4 months, enabling her to clothe and feed her children, and pay off many of her debts.
Shatha’s Story
Shatha is a Syrian refugee from Homs, whose family were forced to flee the war in Syria. Shatha is the sole carer for her two older parents, and her brother, who suffers with mental and physical disabilities. Like many carers all over the world, Shatha’s responsibilities at home make it difficult for her to work. In the past, UNHCR’s winter cash assistance has helped Shatha buy gas and winter clothes to keep her loved ones warm. This will be the family’s sixth winter living in Al Azraq camp in Jordan.
Hamad’s Story
Displaced by the Syrian conflict, Hamad and his family have lived in a refugee camp in Lebanon since 2015. Last winter when the rains began, the family’s tent was completely flooded. Hamad and his wife spent the whole night dredging the water out by hand, so their children wouldn’t freeze or fall ill. This year, UNHCR is supplying Hamad and countless other families with plastic sheeting and insulation materials to weather-proof their shelters, and keep their loved ones safe and dry over the winter months.
Om Saker’s Story
Om Saker is a single mother of three. She and her children were forced to flee their home in Hatra, Iraq in 2015, in order to escape war and persecution during the ISIS invasion. Om Saker dreads the winter months and worries desperately about how she’s going to keep her children warm and safe as the weather gets colder. In the past, UNHCR’s winter cash assistance has been a lifeline for Om Saker and her family. A payment of just £100 helped cover her needs for 3-4 months, enabling her to clothe and feed her children, and pay off many of her debts.
Shatha’s Story
Shatha is a Syrian refugee from Homs, whose family were forced to flee the war in Syria. Shatha is the sole carer for her two older parents, and her brother, who suffers with mental and physical disabilities. Like many carers all over the world, Shatha’s responsibilities at home make it difficult for her to work. In the past, UNHCR’s winter cash assistance has helped Shatha buy gas and winter clothes to keep her loved ones warm. This will be the family’s sixth winter living in Al Azraq camp in Jordan.
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What we’re doing
What we’re doing
How does winter impact the lives of refugees and displaced people?
Freezing winter weather is a threat as dangerous as the conflict that forced refugee families to flee their homes. In countries like Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, displaced families are living in bomb-damaged, unheated homes, or flimsy makeshift shelters. They have little or no protection from the icy winds and torrential rain that’s on its way.
This year’s winter will be especially challenging as refugees face food insecurity and loss of employment opportunities due to the economic situation and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
How many are vulnerable this winter?
There are over 10 million refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. UNHCR estimates that 3.4 million people are in need of critical assistance to help them prepare for and cope with this winter. For many, this will be their 12th consecutive winter in displacement.
In Ukraine, more than 11.5 million people have had to flee their homes, and some 6.24 million are internally displaced. High Commissioner, Filippo Grandi warned: “Winters in Ukraine are very harsh and severe, extremely cold. So, we must do everything possible to prevent the cold of winter from becoming the next challenge for people that already have to face so much in their lives.”
In Afghanistan, conflict has subsided, but violence, fear and deprivation continue to drive Afghans to leave their homes in search of safety. Over 700,000 conflict-related displacements have been recorded since the beginning of 2021 – 80% of them women and children. 3.5 million people are estimated to be displaced internally due to conflict while more than 2 million are refugees in neighbouring countries like Pakistan.
What is UNHCR doing to help?
UNHCR is on the ground providing vital winter essentials such as warm clothes, shelters, thermal blankets, fuel and stoves to cook hot food, and emergency winter payments. UNHCR’s winter assistance is focused on helping families survive in harsh conditions, often in precarious and temporary shelters. Critical needs for core assistance items during winter include blankets, solar lanterns, tent insulation kits and cash for heating, clothing and rent.
UNHCR leads the refugee response worldwide and has the reach and logistical capabilities to ensure that your donations will have an impact on the lives of the most vulnerable families.
What’s winter in Ukraine like?
Temperatures can get as low as -25°C in some parts of the country, and UNHCR has warned that the winter months are going to be a matter of life and death for millions of people affected by the war in Ukraine. UNHCR is scaling up shelter repairs, ensuring proper insulation is installed in homes to battle freezing temperatures. UNHCR is also on the ground distributing heating appliances and providing vital cash assistance for rent and other utilities.
What about Afghanistan?
Monthly temperatures can reach as low as -15°C in Afghanistan. With 90% of people in Afghanistan living in poverty (on less than £1.73/$2 per day), families are extremely vulnerable to sudden shocks of cold winter weather and people can die within a day without adequate protection from the elements. Most internally displaced families have fled without adequate clothing and reside in makeshift shelters that are extremely vulnerable to rain, snow and freezing temperatures. This winter, UNHCR aims to provide winter assistance to more than 55,800 households (390,691 people); other cash assistance for basic needs will help 22,000 families (154,000 people).
How can I help?
There are many ways you can take action to help displaced families face the harsh winter. You can hold a fundraiser, share this page with friends and family to help raise awareness or donate to help provide lifesaving aid and assistance. To refugees, your support means survival.
Help refugees survive this winter
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