Poverty is nothing new. It’s always been there — in slums, in refugee camps, way up high in remote, mountainous villages.
But now it’s getting worse.
“This disease has put many people out of jobs and created more poverty,” our partner along the Syrian border recently said. “Refugees in Syria have lost their houses, lost their parents, maybe their brothers, daughters, sons.” And now they have lost their work and their money, along with countless other people worldwide who are now jobless because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Your gift today will help provide emergency essentials like food, medical care, hygiene kits, and more as well as bring hope to someone who is struggling to survive. And thanks to a matching gift, every dollar you give DOUBLES!
Hakeem is from Iraq, but he no longer has a home there. ISIS destroyed his house during a raid, forcing his family to flee immediately. We’ve changed his name to keep him safe from further harm.
ISIS militants took everything away from Hakeem. Now, he resides within a crowded refugee camp in the middle of the desert. He no longer has a house. Instead, Hakeem lives inside a small tent … along with six other family members.
As they all cram inside, the thin fabric provides little relief from the blistering sun. Hakeem and his family are thirsty and hungry … and the coronavirus has only made things worse.
“Currently we are facing many challenges,” Hakeem said. “There are no jobs, we live in a small tent, there is no medical help in the camp, and we as a family live in very bad conditions.”
The fallout of the coronavirus has increased the financial struggles of people living in developing countries. Thousands of business have closed. People are out of work. And food supply chains are completely derailed.
In fact, food prices in Syria have more than doubled since last year.
Impoverished families like Hakeem’s were already struggling before the pandemic, barely surviving on the little money they could make each day doing odd jobs in the community near the camp. Now, buying enough food for three meals a day is out of the question. Without any income, they can’t afford the inflated prices. So, they’ll do anything they can to survive.
One refugee father even tried to give custody of his children away to someone who could better provide for them. “Please take my kids!” he begged. “My wife and I can starve, but I want my children to live.”
People like this desperate father and Hakeem are wondering where their next meal will come from … or if they’ll even have a meal tonight.
“As we are in the field,” our partner said, “and we see these poor families and their different urgent needs [such as] health-related, lack of food, inability to pay rent, inability to pay for their kids’ needs, and many more, we have big pressure and a big burden.”
Today, you can help ease that burden for people like Hakeem who are in desperate need around the world.
World Help Board members have pledged to match your gift up to $300,000, so every $8 you give DOUBLES and is now enough to help rescue TWO people!
Your doubled gift will help provide lifesaving aid like food, clean water, medical care, hygiene kits to help prevent the spread of disease, and more. Plus, you’ll also help erase World Help’s projected budget shortfall caused by canceled fundraising events, ensuring families like Hakeem’s continue to receive the help they need.
Please give today to provide physical help and spiritual hope … and give someone the strength to keep going during these difficult days.
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