Islamic Relief and Australian Iraqi Muslim Society provide Emergency Assistance to displaced Iraqis

The Australian Iraqi Muslim Society has provided significant support to refugees from the Anbar Province through an Islamic Relief project, delivering food and hygiene kits to the refugees who have fled the front lines of the conflict in Iraq.

Iraq is facing an exacerbated humanitarian emergency as a result of conflict. Millions of Iraqis have fled their homes and towns in search of safety- or at least, a reprieve from violence. Those in conflict affected areas are also suffering from a lack of access to basic services and food, water and medical care.

The Anbar Province has been particularly impacted, and cities within it remain on the front line of the conflict. Those who fled the violence have lost everything, and in many cases they arrive to areas already struggling to provide to the people who live there.

Islamic Relief has been operating in Iraq for twelve years. It was one of very few NGOs which continued humanitarian work throughout the 2003 war and during the 2006-2007 period which saw the withdrawal of many major NGOs due to security concerns. In its first seven years of operation, Islamic Relief Iraq helped over three million Iraqis inside Iraq.

With the funds raised by AIMS, Islamic Relief identified areas where highly vulnerable refugees are living in order to assist the people most in need. As this project is ongoing the exact location of the distribution is withheld to ensure security for our staff and those we are helping. Islamic Relief staff met with these refugees to hear from them first hand. The refugees told our team that most of them had left everything behind, that they had no form of income and no access to food or hygiene supplies.

Thanks to AIMS, Islamic Relief is providing food packs and hygiene kits to 1,050 families who have fled the conflict in Anbar and are now living in informal settlements. The food packs ensure families are able to eat nutritious food for a month, during which time they will be referred into bigger food programmes with the UN and World Food Program. The hygiene kits include soap and toothbrushes and toothpaste, nappies for babies and sanitary napkins for women, providing dignity to the brave families who have lost everything.

The first distribution of food packs and hygiene kits has concluded, and the second and final will take place before the end of the year. Islamic Relief is grateful to AIMS and to all our supporters for enabling us to help those who need it most.