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Support from the UAE helps keep family traditions alive

14 July 2015

In 2014, generous support from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) allowed UNRWA to provide critical food assistance to 460,000 Palestine refugees in Syria. As the conflict continues into its fifth year, timely assistance such as that from the UAE is essential to help maintain the resilience of the Palestine refugee population as they face a brutal and protracted humanitarian crisis.

The vulnerability of Palestine refugees is exacerbated by the near collapse of the Syrian economy, which has resulted in high unemployment rates and spiralling inflation. The soaring cost of basic food items has put them beyond the reach of most Palestine refugees, whose assets and incomes have been destroyed by conflict and repeated displacement. Of the 480,000 Palestine refugees remaining in Syria, over 50 per cent were displaced from their homes, and 95 per cent now rely on UNRWA for their daily needs.

Funding from donors like the UAE means that UNRWA can continue to provide regular food assistance to families throughout Syria. This reliable source of nutrition helps maintain the resilience and physical health of the population; it also plays an essential role in preserving the traditions, recipes and relationships which sustain families through times of crisis.

DONOR BACKGROUND

In 2014, the UAE donated US$ 15 million to provide food assistance to conflict-affected Palestine refugee families in Syria. This timely funding will cover two food distribution rounds in 2014 and 2015 and is expected to reach over 460,000 beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries queue for food assistance at the UNRWA distribution centre in Sahnaya, Damascus. More than 95 per cent of the 480,000 Palestine refugees remaining in Syria rely on UNRWA for their minimum daily needs. Generous support from the UAE meant that UNRWA was able to distribute food assistance to more than 460,000 Palestine refugees in 2014 and 2015. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadSoaring inflation, the collapse of the agriculture industry and high unemployment mean that the cost of food staples is now beyond the reach of many Palestine refugees in Syria. “We have exhausted all our savings,” says Darin Abdallah al-Mohammad, a mother of two. “The food basket helps us reduce our expenses as food costs rise.” © 2014 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadUNRWA food assistance, made possible with generous support from the UAE, helps particularly vulnerable groups, including female-headed households. Sixty-year-old Amneh and her two daughters fled their home in Sbeineh due to the crisis, taking only their clothing and personal belongings. “The food aid helps us through displacement,” she says. “It provides us with nutrition at no cost.” © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadFood parcels contain staple items such as cooking oil, sugar, lentils, rice and pasta. Parcels are tailored for different family sizes and provide each person with 700 kcal per day for a month. Here, Darin Abdallah al-Mohammad cooks pasta for her family of four, who were displaced from Sbeineh. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadUNRWA food assistance is a critical source of nutrition for the 280,000 Palestine refugees who have been internally displaced in Syria. After fleeing Sbeineh in February 2013, Nadia Hussein – a mother of five – and her family were displaced four times before taking refuge in Sahnaya, Damascus. Here, Nadia cooks mujadara, using lentils and rice provided in the box. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadNadia’s three-year-old daughter Bayan enjoys helping her mother cook. “Before making mujadara, Bayan likes to pick over the lentils to remove debris,” explains Nadia. “She feels like she is accomplishing something.” © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadFood assistance, made possible with the support of the UAE, helps Nadia and her family maintain important rituals in the midst of conflict and uncertainty. They eat mujadara in their room at the UNRWA Sahnaya collective shelter. “It’s the perfect meal with yoghurt,” says Nadia. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid Mohammad

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