Abeer was forced to give up her home...

For some, going without isn’t just a choice for Lent.

For people like Abeer* and her children, giving things up hasn’t been a choice. Conflict forced them to flee their home in fear. Now Abeer and her small children live in a temporary camp in Iraq where it’s hard to get the basic essentials they need to survive. 

Their story is not unique. Tens of millions of people around the world have lost their homes, livelihoods and hope in similar ways to Abeer.

This Lent, will you help us relieve suffering and poverty where it’s most needed? An incredibly generous group of supporters have agreed to double every donation up to a total of £1.5 million and we’re thankful to have already met that match funding limit! However, you can still make a huge difference to the lives of people like Abeer.

Abeer’s story

‘I’m not comfortable here. I’m missing my mum and dad and my brothers,’ says Abeer. ‘I cry for them... In my village, the majority are my relatives, but [in the camp] they’re strangers. It’s difficult here.’

Abeer’s family lives in a small tent in a temporary camp. In summer, it’s too hot to go out. In winter, the icy cold and the rain get in, and the storms terrify the children. There’s no room to play and the electric heaters often catch on fire. It’s a poor substitute for a home.

Forced to run for their lives, they sought shelter here when conflict came to their village in Iraq. They had to leave everything behind, arriving with little more than what they were wearing.

Thanks to supporters like you, Abeer was able to choose some new winter clothes for the children (who were outgrowing theirs). This has made a huge difference.

‘When we receive these kinds of things, we feel like there is someone taking care of us,’ says Abeer.

Poverty is not God’s plan. Your gift today will be vital in enabling us to respond to people around the world facing difficult situations – like Abeer and her family.

*Name has been changed for protection