Winter in Kurdistan is notoriously harsh, but the conditions are even more punishing for families and children living in rudimentary camps.
With temperatures regularly dropping below freezing, keeping warm is a continual challenge, so The Lotus Flower recently distributed 240 items of clothing to children at the Rwanga and Domiz 2 camps.
In conjunction with Zarok and Khaima NGOs, the ‘Coats for Children’ scheme saw winter essentials like jackets and socks donated to young refugees – most of whom were left orphans after losing their parents to ISIS.
The Lotus Flower’s founder Taban Shoresh said: “Winter is by far the hardest time of year for displaced people. The infrastructure in the camps is not designed to cope with freezing weather, and most people live in tents or basic cabins which have little or no heating. The camps are also in rural areas which become a sea of mud during winter, so it’s vital we do all we can to make things more bearable.”
