UNICEF winter assistance to children in Aleppo
More than 60,000 children received warm winter clothes across the governorate
During the past winter season, and thanks to generous contributions from Spain and the Department for International Development (DFID), UNICEF was able to reach around 60,000 children aged 0-14 in the governorate of Aleppo with much- needed warm winter clothes, to help them cope with the harsh weather. Each clothing kit contains a thermal outfit, a winter jacket, woollen hat, scarf and gloves, as well as winter shoes.
Brothers Hamoudeh, 10, and Ibrahim, 9, were among the children who received winter clothing kits in Ghernata village in northern rural Aleppo. Fleeing violence in Afrin two years ago, the boys and their family escaped with the clothes on their back and walked trough three villages on foot until they reached safety. After years of displacement and loss of livelihoods, the family was no longer able to provide their children with the most basic needs, including warm winter clothes. In-kind distributions helped ease the financial burden on families and kept children warm.
"I used to get very cold, especially on the way to school which is a long walk"
Siblings Avrin, 7, and Manan, 6, share a similar story. Together with their family, they were also displaced from Afrin two years ago, fleeing escalating violence and leaving their lives behind. Reaching safety in Ghernata village in northern rural Aleppo, the family now lives in one room, along with the few belongings they could carry. Before receiving the winter clothes distributed by UNICEF in their village, the two children had one outfit; whenever their mother did laundry they had to stay at home and wait for their clothes to dry, sometimes missing school.
"I sometimes had to miss school because the only outfit I owned was not dry on time"
