New season, new clothes

There are more than 3 million Iraqis living in poverty, made worse by the recent war in Iraq. As their savings and financial potential dwindle, many families are struggling to provide winter clothes for their children.

In response to this need, UNICEF Iraq is helping to protect displaced children from the cold winter by distributing more than 161,000 sets of winter clothing this year.

Nisreen from Qadia camp with her son’s winter clothes box.

“Winter clothes prices are usually high, we do not have the money to buy them, the content of this box, the clothes in here, are very useful,” Said Nisreen from Qaida camp in Dohuk

Fahima from Qadia camp in Dohuk opens her box with warm winter clothes.

Each bag is good for one child and it contains boots, a winter jacket, a sports suit, a scarf, gloves, socks, and a hat. In the picture, above, ten year old Fahima, who is originally from Sinjar, opens a box containing new winter clothes in Qaida IDP camp in Dohuk.

Farah stands near winter boxes, in Qadiya camp in Dohuk

“ I was sad when I saw my daughter wearing old clothes in this cold. Now in these boxes there are beautiful clothes with bright colors” Farah’s father explained

UNICEF works with partners to ensure that every child in Iraq is warm. More than 80,000 winter clothing kits have been distributed to displaced children across the country so far, with the generous support of the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA).

Anmar Rfaat is a Communications Associate with UNICEF Iraq.