Displaced face extreme temperatures, illness
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is continuing to assist internally displaced Georgian refugees who are facing severe conditions with the onset of winter and temperatures that could dip to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 Celsius). The South Ossetia conflict in August left 192,000 individuals homeless, reported the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
ADRA is distributing survival kits for at least 2,400 internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in temporary shelters in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. The kits include mattresses, heating stoves and fuel, bed linens, wool blankets, fire extinguishers, and cooking and eating utensils. The project began October 1 and will last for three-months. The project is valued at $388,000, with funding provided by the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance.
ADRA is coordinating with United Nations agencies, other non-governmental organizations, and the Georgian Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation in order to deliver the assistance to the displaced persons.
“One of our greatest groups of concern is women, children and the elderly,” said Raymond Chevalier, assistant director for emergency management at ADRA International. “They are at the greatest risk of illness due to the cold rooms and floors of the collective centers where they are currently living. Unfortunately, there are not enough cooking facilities for all of the families. It is essential that they are able to eat warm meals and drink boiled water, in order to reduce the risk of illness while they are living in these centers.”
ADRA began distributing food, hygiene items, kitchen and laundry sets to more than 3,000 internally displaced persons in affected areas in Georgia soon after fighting broke out. At least 22,000 people will be displaced during the upcoming winter and possibly longer, the UNHCR reported.
For more information, visit adra.org.
