Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Life under a flooded tent - HELP!

 
Dearest Loyal Blog Reader, no matter where on this very small planet,
 
I visited the Baharka IDP camp yesterday for a possible future project and also to see the needs of the people. The situation was heart breaking, there were so many pregnant women, orphans, widowed young girls (one was 15 - keep an eye out for her story on Niqash this week).

The rain's affect on families living under tents - Kawrgosk Refugee Camp
Photo: @RudawEnglish

Camp life is harsh when it's summer, but even harsher in winter months. While many of us saw the early rain as a blessing, it was a curse for the families under these tents. Many woke up in the middle of the night flooded, children don't have boots or sox, mothers don't have the right winter clothing. Parents are selling their blankets to spend the money on other necessities.
 
Baharka IDP camp, yesterday
Photo: Rewan Kakl
 
Hence, I am asking for your help. The following items will be a miracle for some of these families:
 
Milk and diapers for babies
blankets
warm clothes - jackets and sweaters
boots for children in particular
sox
food items like flour, oil, sugar. Tomorrow's blog post will explain to you why.
Or donate money and we will purchase these needs
 
Baharka IDP camp yesterday
Photo: Rewan Kakl
 
Feel free to email, tweet, inbox me or make a comment below and we can find a way you can make a donation. Other than myself there are so many organizations and groups who you can also contact such as:

The Rwanga Foundation, they are doing phenomenal work, you can contact them and see how to donate
(just click on the links. Made it all nice and easy for you)

Facebook page: Rwanga Charity Org

The Hashtag #HelpKurdistansDisplaced went viral on social media after the One Young World Summit in Dublin
Tent of a family in Kawrgosk Refugee Camp, housing refugees from Syria
Photo: @RudawEnglish
 
Dilvia for Charity are all volunteers trying to make a difference
Facebook: Dilvia

Giving Back for refugees and the displaced
Twitter: @GivingBackInfo
Facebook: Giving Back
 
After a heavy rain, Baharka IDP camp
Photo: Me!
There are plenty more ways you can help. Anything, no matter how small goes a very long way.

Thank you to your kind hearts
Lots of love
from My Nest in Kurdistan

Sazan,

 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sazan, you truly inspire me, I have read your blog for a few years now, and you never stop to surprise me.

I was once a refugee myself, I cannot with words explain the feelings I have, the sadness I feel for my people. I have cried so much (Why do tears never dry up?) that I am getting depressed for real. I can see myself in their situation, I can see my mother do what these women do, I can picture my father being worried about his family. I have donated money to some organizations who help the kurdish refugees, but I still have this sorrow in my heart. I see my life pass me by...

I don´t know why I´m writing this. Reading your blog is like talking to a friend about my feelings, you write what I feel.

Zpr supas Sazan gyan! Thank you for what you do for your people. They will sooner or later leave the camps and what they have left are memories of people like you. We are all kurds, who should help the kurdish refugees if not their brothers and sisters?

Shaweky xosh u Xwat legel!

Sazan M. Mandalawi said...

Dear Anonymous...
Thank you for taking the time and writing to me.
It means the world to me when you say "reading your blog is like talking to a friend..." I am glad you feel this way.
It is difficult to see these circumstances and Kurds living in this way. I guess we can all do our little bit and hope things will get better.
What I love about being a Kurd is one person's pain feels like it's our own, I hope this will push us to work and help others much more as we feel the pain and suffering of one another.

Thank you for being a loyal blog reader. I love hearing from people like yourself.

Sazan,