The Conflict in Syria
We are providing shelter for families who have been forced to leave their homes due to the conflict in Syria.
The conflict in Iraq
Find out what happened in Iraq and how ShelterBox responded
About the conflict in Iraq
Years of internal conflict have caused heartbreak for families in Iraq. The conflict had started back in 2003 and, since then, millions have been forced to flee in search of safer grounds.
Learn more about what happened, key facts and numbers, and how we have responded.
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What happened in Iraq?
The US-led invasion to remove Saddam Hussein left behind a climate of political instability, which in turn, led to the rise of so-called Islamic State (ISIS).
Today, Iraq is still living with the legacy of destruction and division from these events.
Although the military operation to drive out Islamic State officially ended in 2017, sporadic fighting continues today.
Families have lost sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters. It will take years to rebuild what they have lost.
For many, the only option was to escape. Around one million people are thought to have left Mosul and the surrounding areas since the battle to reclaim the city started.
Key facts and numbers
The situation in Iraq has had a devastating impact on families’ livelihoods, with many of them having no other choice but to flee the violence and instability.
- Since 2014, 6 million people have been forced to flee their homes in search of a safer place.
- 2.6 million still haven’t been able to return home.
- 67,200 Iraqi refugees have fled to neighbouring Jordan and 142,000 have fled to Turkey.
Source: UNOCHA
How did ShelterBox respond?
Since the beginning of the government-led effort to claim back the city of Mosul in 2016, we have provided support to nearly 12,000 families with the help of our partners.
At the end of 2018, we completed our final distributions in northern Iraq, supporting families in areas that had previously been inaccessible.
These families had received very little help before our partner ACTED reached them. We supplied them with kits to repair damaged homes and make them waterproof and secure.
We also provided essential aid items like mattresses, water carriers, and solar lights.
Supporting families with essential aid
From 2016 to 2018, we provided a range of essential aid items in Iraq. We tailored our aid to peoples’ needs as the situation on the ground changed.
Our aim was to ensure that families didn’t feel abandoned.
For our last response, our aid was designed to help families repair damaged buildings. We supplied additional tools such as wood and sealant to make shelters weatherproof.
We also provided mattresses, kitchen sets, solar lights and mosquito nets.
Tools
Tools and materials that allow families to rebuild their homes
Water carriers
Water containers make safe drinking water one less thing to worry about
Kitchen sets
Cooking sets bring normality back to lives turned upside down by violence
Who have we helped?
Little Jyan and her family received a shelter kit tailored to their exact needs, so that they could strengthen their shelter to withstand the harsh extremes of the Iraqi climate.
It’s not easy reaching vulnerable people caught up in brutal conflict, but we do it with the help of our amazing partners.
Read the eyewitness account of Marwa, a young woman from Mosul. After living under Islamic State rule, and seeing their cruelty first-hand, she decided to become an aid worker.
She has helped us deliver ShelterBox aid to families who have fled the conflict – often with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Snapshots from Iraq
SNAPSHOTS FROM DISTRIBUTIONS IN IRAQ, CARRIED OUT BY OUR PARTNER, ACTED in 2018
The reception desk at the distribution site.
People due to receive aid report to the registration desk facilitated bu ACTED staff, at the distribution site.
People due to receive aid report at the registration desk, at the distribution site.
ACTED staff unloading aid items for distribution.
ACTED staff unloading mattresses at the distribution site.
ACTED staff cross-checking beneficiary data at the distribution site.
ACTED staff checking tickets in exchange for aid items, during phase 2 of the distribution process.
Explore more
World Refugee Day 2022
Imagine being forced to flee your home because of conlfict, disaster or climate change. This World Refugee Day meet people who’ve had to leave everything behind.