Middle East, Afghanistan and Ukraine
As winter begins to grip the Northern Hemisphere, displaced families are facing icy winds, heavy rains and snowstorms with little protection. For people already uprooted from their homes in Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan, the cold season can be deadly.
Sub-zero temperatures are life-threatening for those living in tents or makeshift shelters. Heavy rain and melting snow can flood refugee camps and trigger landslides. Meanwhile, families face mounting costs for heating, clothing, medicine and food.
UNHCR teams are working against the clock to deliver winter aid. But as needs soar, more help is urgently required to ensure refugees can survive this winter.
Ukraine: Ohla’s story
Olha Petrenko fled her hometown of Trostyanets in northeastern Ukraine with her two sons after heavy bombardment destroyed their community. Their new life in Kyiv was extremely difficult in an overcrowded shelter with no heating and little income.
“It was hard to stay in the [shelter] because it was really overcrowded and noisy,” says Olha. “I’ve never been so cold.”
Although Olha worked at the shelter, she couldn’t earn enough to rent a small flat. The strain of not being able to provide for her children weighed heavily.
“As a mother, I understood that I have to provide accommodation for my children, but that led to a lot of pressure psychologically,” she says.
Olha worked tirelessly to find alternative shelter and managed to secure space for her family in a building recently renovated by UNHCR for displaced people.
Now living in a warm, quiet apartment, the family has found stability after months of hardship. UNHCR is also providing them with cash assistance and essential items like blankets and kitchen equipment.
But as Ukraine enters a fourth winter at war, thousands of families like Olha’s remain in urgent need of safe shelter, warm beds and support.
Syria: Amina and Waleed’s story
After a decade of displacement, Amina and Waleed returned to their hometown of Idleb with their seven children. They found their home badly damaged by conflict and the devastating earthquakes of 2023.
“It felt like we were sitting in the street,” Amina recalls. “Water leaked from the roof and the walls were damp.”
The family faced immense challenges: finding money for electricity, water and Amina’s life-saving heart medication, while trying to shield their children from the bitter cold.
UNHCR helped to repair their roof and restore essential facilities. For the first time in years, they can face winter with dignity, while laying the foundations for their future.
Last year, UNHCR provided longer-term shelter repairs to more than 2,200 households in Syria. But with one million people returning to the country this year, the demand for safe housing is growing rapidly – especially with winter looming.
Afghanistan: Roqia’s story
After conflict forced them to leave Afghanistan, Roqia, 30, and her family spent eight years living in Pakistan. She and her siblings applied for resettlement in Pakistan but never received approval. Facing increasing harassment there, they reluctantly returned home.
“Right now we have no shelter, no household items, no work — we have nothing,” she says.
This is her family’s first winter back in Kabul. At a UNHCR centre, they received cash assistance of 11,500 Afghanis ($163) per person — money they are using to rent a modest home and buy essentials.
“We need a heater and fuel. It’s very difficult, as we have just arrived,” says Roqia.
Her story is echoed by thousands of Afghan families returning to a homeland scarred by decades of conflict, poverty and recent earthquakes. Without urgent support, many face winter without warmth or safety.
How you can help refugees survive winter
Refugees can’t weather a deadly winter on their own. Will you help deliver life-saving warmth before it’s too late?
Your donation can help provide:
- Winter survival kits that include essential items such as thermal blankets, sleeping bags, heaters, emergency fuel and warm jackets
- Repairs and insulation to homes damaged by conflict or natural disaster, keeping families safe and warm
- Winter cash payments to help vulnerable families cover urgent needs such as rent, food, fuel and medicine
