COVID 19 awareness, response and recovery

Dear friends

a few weeks ago GlobalGiving gave us an extra gift for this project to support our work in the refugee camps in Northern Iraq.

Today I received back the first report from our team there, the first group we were able to support with specific items needed during the COVID 19 crisis were the participants of our Disability programme.

"The first thing we did was providing the families we serve a food and hygiene kit as a Covid-19 response. We were able to provide kits for 65 families spread over 7 camps. The packages differed in size tailored to the number of family members and based on the family's income. We asked how each client has been doing and we were able to hear their stories and encourage them.

For many this season has been difficult as their income has decreased. Some families work in the fields and because of lockdowns were not able to sell their crop for a good price. Others could not work at all during lockdowns or lost their jobs. One family had hardly any food left and finished their last rice a few days before we came. Imagine the joy of this family when they received 20 kilos of rice plus other food items.

Now it's time to continue our physical therapy program. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 we cannot start our peer groups bringing different clients and their families together. However, we can visit them apart from each other in their homes and work on their physical improvement and bring encouragement. It has been encouraging to see that some clients have improved quite a bit physically since the last time we met. We'll continue to come along side working for better integration into their community."

Other parts of the GlobalGiving funds went to Kazakhstan and Afghanistan - watch this space for more updates soon.

Thanks for being a hope giver with Operation Mercy

Yours Andrea Vogt

International Director.