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Dear supporter,
Welcome back to Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation's (BHHF) inner circle - this monthly newsletter includes the latest news, updates, and insights into our work.
The month of October has been busy for us at Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation, for which we would like to thank you - your support and donations have assisted us in accomplishing several projects, distributions and increased our reach to bring hope and have a significant humanitarian influence around the world.
In this issue, while the upcoming events, distributions and humanitarian news will be highlighted, Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation reiterates the belief that collaboration and encouragement amongst individuals, NGO's and corporations are the solutions to success in humanitarian aid. We at BHHF aim to also spread awareness of the various issues faced by residents of IDP and refugee camps in Iraqi-Kurdistan to better understand and facilitate those in need. Respectively, we are pleased to share that we have several essential independent projects and partnerships underway as well as participation in numerous humanitarian events in the coming future.
We hope that this issue is equally educational as it is informational concerning our activities, and encourages our supporters to further bring hope through helping us reach our goals to ensure the facilitation and alleviate suffering for those in need.
The organisation’s chairman and founder Dr Mariwan Baker will be participating in the AidEx 2021 conference at this year's Brussels Expo on 17-18th November. The two-day event serves to assist and encourage the international aid community to engage the private sector, drive innovation and promote the ever-expanding demand for emergency aid and development programmes.
AidEx 2021 provides a platform for the humanitarian aid sector at every level as well as presents a forum for professionals in the field to meet, source, supply and learn. Respectively, Dr Baker will be the speaker for the panel discussion on
"The financial legacy of COVID-19 will hit the world’s poorest the hardest"
highlighting the critical dialogue concerning the urgent need for the humanitarian aid sector to address the repercussions and aftermaths of COVID-19 in developing nations. Additionally, Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation holds the belief that to effectively alleviate the suffering of vulnerable groups all over the world, independent and individualistic effort is not sufficient.
Therefore, Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation holds the view that collaboration and partnerships between corporations and NGO’s is highly overlooked. Collaboration in humanitarian aid is critical for humanitarian support workers to have an increased capacity and ability to make a prominent difference globally. It eliminates problems of distance, lack of resources and funding to directly affect and reach IDP's, refugees and populations affected by war, natural disasters resulting in food and water shortages. If discovering the solution to the abovementioned issue is of interest to you, please join us at our panel discussion in Brussels.
The BHHF team continuously strives to stay well-informed about the needs that residents of IDP and refugee camps in Iraqi Kurdistan have by regularly conducting needs assessments with camp managers. Through the evaluations, we are able to gather information on what humanitarian aid items are currently needed the most and to ensure increasingly accurate distributions. As the after-effects of Covid- 19 are still being felt especially within the developing countries, camp managers have requested additional hygiene items, medical aid, and winter essentials for families to ensure protection from the spread of COVID-19.
Concerns raised by the UNCHR:
"The main concern raised by refugees, IDPs, returnees, and persons at risk of statelessness across Iraq is the inability to access livelihood opportunities as a result of current and previous restrictions on freedom of movement. Most individuals affected by displacement were living on daily wages, and the movement restrictions have significantly affected their ability to make ends meet.
This has translated into an increase in the number of individuals resorting to negative coping mechanisms. Challenges to reach persons of concern in certain locations, psychological trauma, stress and anxiety, halt of education activities, and the rise of domestic violence, among others, have also been raised widely as a direct concern by those affected by displacement. Following the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases across the country[...]"
As a result of regular needs assessments in the IDP and refugee camps, we are competent to ensure that we are adequately prioritising our resources, your donations and support to where it is most needed.
We are thrilled to share that Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation's board member Catherine Van Kampen has been appointed as a co-chair of the New York City Bar Association's United Nations Committee - an incredible achievement. Catherine is known to be a committed humanitarian, who is a longtime champion for social change, securing justice for refugee women and children. Catherine aims to continue improving on the critical work concerning the United Nations committee.
Catherine has provided Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation with exceptional expertise and continues to help us reach our goal to bring change for those who are in need through the power of hope. In the words of Catherine "I truly believe we live our best life when we live a life of service to others."
BHHF carried out the distribution of clothing, fabrics and school essentials in Harsham, Basirma, and Khanke Camps in Iraqi Kurdistan.
This month, humanitarian aid item distributions were of primary focus for us at Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation. Due to the lack of adequate access to basic necessities and resources, the wintertime can be exceptionally harsh for the residents of the IDP and refugee camps. Therefore, support from different humanitarian actors on the ground becomes especially crucial during those winter months. In addition, through our regular needs assessments, camp managers have consistently informed us that they are experiencing significant shortages in winter clothing, blankets, and shoes specifically for children, making it of great importance for Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation to assure that children are primarily facilitated and are able to focus on their education and activities. Moreover, hygiene products along with medical aid are also of the highest concern not only due to the uncertainties of COVID-19 but also due to constant weather changes requiring that a long-lasting infrastructure is in place for the people living in the IDP and refugee camps in need of medical assistance. Accordingly, we are pleased to share that, through generous donations and partnerships we have successfully been able to carry out distributions for various winter clothing items in the Harsham camp and Debaga camp.
Lastly, we are constantly working hard in assisting the camp management with providing the residents of the IDP and refugee camps in the Iraqi Kurdistan region with the most needed humanitarian aid items. We at Bring Hope are dedicated to striving for the best possible way to facilitate and enable IDP and refugee camp residents to have the access to the most needed resources to survive the harsh winter conditions.
Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation consists of a diverse team of skilled individuals, as they make it possible for us to expand our abilities and maintain the support we provide globally. We would like you to get to know the individuals behind our organisation!
Erlina, is from North Macedonia and works as Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation’s Research and Business Development Officer at our Sweden HQ office. As a human rights law specialist, she has experience from the international development sector dedicated to supporting local democracies through community-led initiatives. In her spare time, Erlina likes to bake, which depending on the day is a work in progress.
Why did you start at BHHF?
I fell in love with a core notion of Bring Hope; the idea that becoming a humanitarian is no longer reserved for the privileged circles of the society - everyone can spark joy through a contribution which, no matter how scarce we perceive it to be, flaps the wings of the butterfly towards the protection of vulnerable groups and betterment of society. These values embody my aspirations in being driven by goals that are not self-serving, but rather contribute to the development of others as well.
What made you passionate about Bringing Hope/becoming a humanitarian?
I'm passionate about providing space and opportunities for underprivileged communities such as refugees and IDP's to be heard, whilst allowing them to partake in shaping public discourses that affect their quality of life.
Bring Hope allows me to influence peacebuilding processes and honour the lived experiences of such communities.
What makes the organisation itself different from others in your opinion?
It is the volunteers who are burning the midnight oil at Bring Hope, and I am in awe with a system that functions on sheer enthusiasm and voluntary commitment. The premise to which our organisation is built indicates that it is not enough for people to want to do good, they need to have the proper tools and spaces where they can channel their desire for activism.
What has been a challenge for you working at Bring hope and how did you overcome it?
For me, the biggest challenge has been to learn how to operate in an organisation that is still developing its cornerstone structures. Our organisation is a work in progress and it evolves by the minute. This is why I choose to view this challenge as a blessing in disguise as establishing procedures from scratch opens the door for innovative approaches and avenues that make our day to day working environment very dynamic.
Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation Team Sweden: is preparing for a conference concerning the structural and procedural gaps in the Swedish approach to helping migrant children arriving in Sweden. The conference is to highlight and raise awareness about migrant children's rights - a topic that is highly disregarded.
Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation Team UAE: is currently making all the necessary arrangements and preparing to partake in Dubai Expo 2020, more information will be provided in the December issue!
Bring Hope Humanitarian Foundation Team Kurdistan: continues to carry out needs assessment across the IDP and refugee camps in Iraqi Kurdistan and to address those needs via humanitarian aid item distributions.
