Hundreds of thousands of homeless Iraqis are in urgent need of emergency relief as temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius are expected throughout the current summer months.
As summer commences in the northern hemisphere, families who lost their homes during the conflict in Mosul and other areas of northern Iraq are being exposed to extreme temperatures.
With daytime temperatures soaring as high as 50 degrees Celsius, families who are already suffering from hunger and thirst are becoming even more desperate.
Whilst most families will not be able to return to their homes for some time, many have been able to return to Mosul and surrounding districts following its liberation from ISIS. Sadly, they are returning to find the city’s infrastructure collapsed, their homes destroyed, no running water or electricity, and almost nowhere to hide from the scorching sun.
CARE’s emergency response teams are distributing clean water and ‘rebuilding kits’ in Bashiqa, a town just out of Mosul to help people get back on their feet. The rebuilding kits include all the essentials families who have lost everything need: kitchen items, hygiene essentials like soap and sanitary items, blankets, mattresses, and solar lamps.
We are also making sure families can stay healthy by training people to repair and maintain toilets, showers and washing facilities.
“CARE needs urgent support,” says Karl-Otto Zentel, from CARE Germany. “Rebuilding is already becoming a major challenge and will likely take months and in some places even years… Above all, people need water and assistance to rebuild their lives.”
Read more about CARE’s work and how you can help families rebuild their lives.