Bushra wears a mask provided by Islamic Relief. Bushra is 9 years old, she has 4 brothers and 2 sisters. Her father has a spinal injury which consists of a slipped disc and is unable to work. They have been displaced for a number of years and are currently living in Al-Harakat camp in Idlib. There are 150 families in this camp from Homs country side, Hama, Aleppo countryside and Abu Aldohor. Most of the families in this camp don’t work so there isn’t a source of income. They rely on the aid given to them by organisations. There are also a growing number of orphan families and widows living in this camp.
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) today launches a Coronavirus Appeal to raise funds to help the most vulnerable communities in the world fleeing conflict and instability, face the new deadly threat of Covid-19.
The DEC Appeal aims to protect people from the virus in the world’s five most fragile states, plus Afghanistan, the most fragile state in Asia, and the world’s largest refugee camp, in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
It is the first time that the DEC has launched an appeal for a disaster that has simultaneously affected both the UK and internationally. The DEC, which appeals for funds in response to overseas humanitarian crises, will help the most vulnerable people in six fragile states: Yemen and Syria; Somalia, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo; and Afghanistan, where a total of 24 million displaced people live in crowded temporary shelter.
The appeal also includes the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, which are one and a half times the population density of New York City – but with nothing like the equivalent health facilities or sanitation.
The 14 DEC member charities are already present and working in refugee and displacement camps, despite the many challenges presented by the pandemic. But they urgently need more funds to scale up their operations and save lives.
The Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC), is made up of fourteen charities, including Tearfund, Concern and Red Cross which will all be fundraising in Northern Ireland.
Every pound donated by the UK public will be matched by the UK government through its Aid Match scheme up to the value of £5 million. This support will double the impact of the public’s own donations and will ensure that charities working on the ground can reach more of the world’s most vulnerable people as they face the coronavirus pandemic.
To make a donation to the DEC Coronavirus Appeal visit www.dec.org.uk, call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, or send a cheque. To donate £10 text SUPPORT to 70150. Texts cost £10 and the whole £10 goes to the DEC Coronavirus Appeal. You must be 16 or over and please ask the bill payer's permission. For full terms and conditions and more information go to www.dec.org.uk
Speaking at the launch Press Conference this morning, Chief Executive of the DEC, Salah Saeed said:
“Here in the UK, we’ve witnessed great suffering and made unprecedented sacrifices to protect each other and save lives. We have seen too the tireless dedication of staff in our amazing NHS. But, imagine living in one of the world’s most fragile states – where there is no NHS – and no other safety nets for the very poorest and most vulnerable.”
“Families who have been forced to flee conflict, drought and floods – living in crowded refugee and displacement camps – with little access to clean water, medical care or enough food – now face a new, deadly and silent threat: Covid-19 and need our help.”
Peter Anderson, Northern Ireland Director, Concern said:
“Coronavirus has had an impact on all of our lives over the past few months. Thankfully, we are now at a stage where restrictions are easing and some normality is being restored. This is not the case however, for the millions of people living in the world’s most fragile states who are facing the deadly threat posed by Covid-19 on top of other suffering.”
“Families who have fled violence, conflict and hunger now need our help more than ever. It is at times of the greatest need, that the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) brings together the unique alliance of the UK’s leading charities and broadcasters to maximise fundraising efforts and quickly deliver effective support where it’s needed most.”
“The immediate focus of this appeal is to protect the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities in the most fragile places. There are 24 million internally displaced people in total in these fragile states, and an additional 850,000 Rohingya people living in the world’s biggest refugee camp in Bangladesh. Many of these people have little access to medical care, clean water or enough food, making them extremely vulnerable to coronavirus. In these places, the virus is likely to be even more deadly than it has been here.”
“In Northern Ireland, Concern, Tearfund and Red Cross will all be fundraising on behalf of the DEC over the coming weeks. Northern Irish people are known for their generosity and compassion to others and their support is more important now than ever. We’d ask anyone who can donate to do so now – every penny raised could be the difference in life or death for the refugees and displaced people in the world’s most fragile places.”