Housing and Employment for Syrian Refugees

Peace Winds distributes building materials.

Iraq – Peace Winds continues to support Syrian refugees who were displaced by the nearly decade-long civil war in their home country. Many of those impacted by the conflict fled to Northern Iraq settling in and around Erbil, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, seeking refuge until they can return home or restart their lives. Although thousands have found safety, demands for vital resources such as shelter, food, clean water, and medical supplies are ever-increasing due to the consistent influx of refugees and ongoing conflict. Now in the ninth year of the Syrian crisis, Peace Winds has sought to provide more durable shelters for refugee households in the camps by providing building materials and Cash for Work (CfW) with communities self-organizing construction. Moreover, Peace Winds has sought to curb gender-based violence in refugee camps by focusing on women-headed households to provide affordable, safe, and secure housing to these families.

Peace Winds is implementing shelter upgrades in four camps in the Erbil area. The project began in September 2018 and is set to wrap up in August 2020. Divided into two year phases, the first phase plans to upgrade over 700 tented shelters, and another estimated 700 shelters are planned for upgrades in the second phase of the project. In the first two months, Peace Winds, in collaboration with the Kawergosk and Qushtapa refugee camp managers, conducted door-to-door assessments to prioritize upgrades. In total, 1,164 shelters were assessed based on vulnerabilities and other factors to determine which would be prioritized. The shelter upgrades recently begun in February and the Cash for Work element of the project is paying refugees to perform the necessary work. Ultimately, beneficiaries will receive income for their work and an upgraded shelter that they helped create.

To continue making an impact in there camps, Peace Winds seeks additional funds to further provide Syrian refugees with dignified housing, resources, and care. We thank those who have already contributed, and welcome support to increase our impact for refugee communities in Northern Iraq.

Staff members coordinate construction.

Example of nearly built home.

READ MORE about Peace Winds’ programming in Iraq.

DONATE HERE to support communities in Iraq recovering from conflict.