IRAQ AND KURDISTAN 

The long-lasting conflict in Iraq has caused that as many as 6.7 million people need humanitarian aid. Despite the official end of the war, more than 2 million people still are unable to return to their homes. In most cases they have nothing to go back to. Their houses have been destroyed or the surrounding area is still dangerous. 

The main problem is the inability to meet the most basic needs, such as access to water, food, shelter and essential hygienic products. When people move to find a safer space, they take only the most necessary things with them, they find it difficult to find clean water or a constant supply of food. 

WHAT DOES THE POLISH HUMANITARIAN ACTION DO? 

Polish Humanitarian Action was already active in Iraq in 2003-2007. Our work focused on access to water and education: We rebuilt schools and streamlined the damaged water and sanitation infrastructure. 

We returned to Iraq at the end of 2016 in response to the plight of the civilian population caused by the fighting in Mosul. We immediately began to provide humanitarian aid to the residents of the city – we supplied food baskets, hygiene kits, and water. 

Our Immediate Response Team operates in Iraqi Kurdistan, which after having identified the needs, provides adequate help to people fleeing from north-eastern Syria. As a result of the military offensive in October 2019, more than 190,000 people were forced to leave their homes. We help those who found a shelter in the Bardarash, refugee camp in Iraqi Kurdistan. We provide them water, access to toilets, take away the garbage, distribute hygiene packages. 

We have been operating in Syria since 2013. We have delivered humanitarian aid in the provinces of Idlib and Aleppo. We have provided access to clean water and hygiene packs containing necessary items. Those who was the most in need, have received food parcels and micro-gardening kits. We have provided special nutrition packs to children, who are especially at risk during humanitarian crises. 

In December 2016, the evacuation of East Aleppo made headlines around the world. Tens of thousands of inhabitants were quickly evacuated from the city. We organized immediate aid for people who were fleeing to camps for internally displaced persons. We built latrines, hand washing stations and new water pumping stations. We also distributed food and hygiene packs to new arrivals.