People tend to think that once refugees are resettled, their issues end – at least they have escaped war, right? Well, the truth is far from it. The lack of funding, harsh camp conditions and discrimination from locals are daily obstacles for resettled refugees.
In winter, Lebanon’s cold weather is a life or death situation. Every year, many who live in camps, with only tents separating them from Lebanon’s storms, die from the cold. They are often children.
Saudi Arabia’s campaign to help refugees includes giving relief packages to keep them warm and well fed. It runs three programs targeting refugees in Lebanon, who often deal with a disorganized infrastructure.
“My brother, your warmth is my goal,” is the first program. Saudis donate blankets, jackets, sweaters and really anything warm, and they go straight to refugees in need. Think about the times you’ve complained about the cold, and then think about how that would feel in a thin tent in one-degree weather – the exact conditions that refugees in higher settlements face.
“Brother, your table is blessed,” and “Brother, your health is precious” focus on food and health. People from Saudi Arabia donate everything from kitchen utensils, personal hygiene items and food, making life in the refugee camps more bearable. After all, being warm doesn’t mean much if your kids are going hungry every night.
If you aren’t convinced, the aid will be distributed to 2,882 Syrian families, helping a total of 17,292 people, as reported by Arab News. The donations will be spread across nine locations, so it will have a wide impact.
To help, you can always make a donation to the Saudi National Campaign through the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Works, which has reportedly collected SR 382.8 million already.
Alternatively, you can donate your belongings to help people in need – we all go through spring-cleaning, and instead of throwing out your old blankets, you can keep a child warm through the winter.
