Baadre Children’s Centre – Kurdistan: Refuge for liberated IS orphans
At the "Hevy" (english: "hope") centre for Yazidi orphans and IS survivors, 60 to 70 children have a lot of fun and learn many important things for their lives at the same time. The center manager Helen reports: "Our team includes six Yazidi teachers, a computer...
Shelter Now Kabul – Office closed temporarily
All of Afghanistan is now under Taliban control. In fact, there is a new government. Thank God there has been no massive bloodshed in the capital so far, and we all are hoping that it will not come to that. Some of our 40 or so projects in the country are continuing,...
Fire in refugee camp – Shelter Now relief program has started
In the last post, we reported on the devastating fire at Sharya Camp, where 450 tents burned down, and appealed for donations. After consultation with other organizations and public agencies, we coordinated the necessary support options. Meanwhile we received a very...
Fire in refugee camp
In the so-called "Sharya Camp", a refugee camp with Yazidis in northern Iraq, there was a major fire two weeks ago. 450 tents burnt down within 30 minutes. "We had a very narrow escape," one resident tells us, "but we lost everything." After almost seven years...
We got saffron again!
13 years ago, we started a project that we couldn't have known at the time how successful it would become. We have introduced about a dozen farmers to the production of saffron. To do this, we had to give them the bulbs of saffron crocus, fertilizer and know-how free...
Impoverished deaf people in Central Asian Republic receive winter aid
People with disabilities are often socially excluded in some Central Asian countries. Thus, they have particular problems finding work to support their families. The pandemic has dramatically exacerbated this problem. Last summer we received a call for help: some of...
Refugee Yezidi kids are happy about fruit and school
For the third winter now, we have been able to distribute fresh fruit to nearly 100 families each week. The vast majority of family members are children. The past two winters had already seen a massive drop in colds among children. The vitamin intake from the fresh...
“Zhian” is the name of our new trauma therapy center in Kurdistan
In english it means "life". The new house, painted in fresh colors with bright rooms, has just been furnished with purpose. Two days a week, for four hours each, young women come to the center to find new perspectives for their lives. They are former slaves of the...
Water is here!
WASH Project in Chaiyabuk, Northeast Afghanistan Our project manager reports: In this village - about 1 ½ hours by car from our office in Faizabad - we are running a WASH (Water, Sanitation and strong Hygiene) project. The aim is to reduce hygiene-related diseases...
Literacy program for widows in Sharak-e Mustafa
Not far from the city of Herat in western Afghanistan, over 400 families live in the settlement of Sharak-e Mustafa. They are almost exclusively widows with their half-orphans. Last spring we were able to provide them with food, as their income was insufficient due to...
Yazidis return to their homeland
In 2014, they were driven out of Shingal (also: "Sinjar") by IS and many of them were murdered, others were kidnapped as slaves. They belong to the Yazidi people (their proper name is: Ezidy or Esiden). The Esids have counted: The IS attack was the 74th genocide in...
Oppressed ethnic group in Afghanistan receives winter aid
The ethnic group of the "Chalou", also called "Jat", leads a shadowy existence in Afghanistan. Chalous are often considered "morally unclean," or generally dirty or unclean. They have a hard time finding a decent job. Children and women can be seen begging on...