Church World Service and its ecumenical
and other NGO partners on the scene in the Middle East continue to prepare
for the projected humanitarian response needs being incurred in Iraq. As
of this morning (U.S. Eastern Standard Time, 3/21), the CWS Emergency Response
Team in the U.S. and in Amman, Jordan, reports:
Relief Supplies for Children:
As part of the coalition All Our Children fundraising campaign, one shipment of hygiene supplies for hospitals gained entrance into Iraq. Other shipments are waiting just outside Iraq for permission to enter the country.
Emergency Refugee Assistance:
Background: All camps in Jordan are under the overall management of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) who then signs Memorandums of Understanding with various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) -- such as Church World Service's on the ground partner the Middle East Council of Churches. Those memoranda authorize NGO provision of certain services such as water/sanitation, health, and food.
In any one camp, numerous NGO's can be working to provide a specific service or input, all working under the overall oversight of the UNHCR.
Delivery will occur at the request of the UNHCR as people begin to arrive. What is in question at the moment is how quickly and how many people might arrive.
- Reports from the field say Camp "A" in Jordan for Iraqi citizens is being set up now to receive Iraqi displaced persons.
- This would then bring the camps in Jordan to two: one for Third Country Nationals (TCNs) and one for Iraqi citizens seeking safe haven.
- Work at Camp "A", with a capacity to shelter 17,000 people and earmarked for Iraqi refugees, has started.
- "Family food packages are being compiled and will be delivered by the Middle East Council of Churches with Church World Service support and assistance," according to Donna Derr, CWS International Emergency Response Program now in Washington, DC, and Steve Weaver, CWS' Emergency Response Consultant on the site in Amman.
Workers are compiling 500 food parcels for 500 families in this camp, to last for 3 months. Each parcel (provided every two weeks) will contain the following items:
0,9 kg processed cheese
0,5 kg tea
0,5 kg white beans
0,5 kg lentils
0,5 kg chick peas
0,5 kg beans
0,9 kg milk powder
tomato paste
7 kg sugar
10 kg rice
3,8 l cooking oil
1,7 l ghee
6 bars of soap
and 0,4 kg detergent
(The food parcels will be distributed in camp "A")
MECC has also released 64 winterized tents with heaters from its stocks to UNHCR, to be used for the most vulnerable families in camp "A". Other non-food items will include kitchen sets, first aid kits and hygiene kits.
Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) concluded a co-operation agreement with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) regarding water/sanitation.
242 pit latrines are in the process of being set up. Flushing (water) toilets will also be built to serve 6,400 persons. NCA will be responsible for solid waste management.
Check this site regularly. CWS will attempt to keep you informed with daily updates, or as news occurs, during the current Iraq conflict.