Qatar Charity

Waiting to give birth - in freedom

"Thank you, thank you!" Arkan calls out, waving to UNHCR staff as they walk past her tent in UNHCR's newly-opened Al Salamiyah 2 camp.

Arkan, a mother of eight, tells us she's grateful for the help she has been provided. She is among the first families moving into the camp, around 25 kilometres south of Mosul, which can initially house up to 15,000 displaced individuals, and 30,000 when fully completed.

Arkan, from Qayrawan district, western Mosul, is also eight months pregnant. "My baby will be born in freedom. I think we'll name the child 'Happy' as we are so happy not to be living under extremist groups any more", she said.

"We lived in very bad circumstances. We had no clean drinking water and had to drink dirty water directly from a well. We left in haste, and my children lost all their shoes. But we are so happy to be here now", she added.

"Syrian refugees face difficulties beyond imagination to meet their basic needs, after having struggled to seek safety and often after seven years of displacement. We must therefore do everything we can to support those who are victims of circumstances beyond their control. UNHCR’s Zakat Initiative provides us and others with alternative ways to directly support refugees with cash assistance.”

His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Nasser Al Thani, Qatar Charity Chairman

About the partnership

Since: 2012

Locations: Bangladesh, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Somalia, Syria and Yemen

Qatar Charity has been a significant partner of UNCHR since 2012 with total contributions reaching some US$46,963,872 for refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, and Syria and for refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, and Myanmar and reaching more than one million beneficiaries.

One of the breakthrough agreements signed with Qatar Charity in 2018 is funding our Zakat programme with US$10 million for the provision of cash assistance for vulnerable Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan.

Impact at a glance

Over one million refugees and internally displaced people have benefitted from Qatar Charity’s contributions.
Over US$46 million contributed to UNHCR’s operations globally.
The partnership has helped provide basic assistance, cash assistance, infrastructure, WASH and core relief items.

Sustainable Development Goals in focus

SDG1 No Poverty
SDG3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG6 Clean Water and Sanitation
SDG10 Reduced Inequality
SDG17 Partnerships to achieve the Goals

Contact us

For further information on our partnerships please contact:

Ayat El Dewary; [email protected], Senior External Relations Officer

The Global Compact on Refugees, explained

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