The Al-Imdaad Foundation has been responding to the on-going Mediterranean refugee crisis that has been unfolding across Europe, powered by on-going conflict and instability in the Middle East and North Africa. Record numbers of refugees have been entering into European territory in a bid to escape the destruction, violence and instability that rocks their home countries.

The majority of these refugees are Syrian in origin but there also Iraqis, Afghanis, Eritreans, Libyans and other nationalities.
The “heart-breaking” image of the drowned refugee boy, Aylan Kurdi, who washed up on a beach in Turkey has ricocheted around the world on social media, along with equally agonising images of children lying suffocated in the backs of smuggler’s trucks in an attempt to cross borders.

These images have shaken the world and caused a stir in the consciences of politicians and their electorates alike. In search of safety, these refugees have been forced to make difficult decisions in the attempt to reach EU member states. With few legal and safe routes overland, tens of thousands of refugees are embarking on dangerous sea journeys often on flimsy and crowded vessels, risking and many losing their lives in the attempt. Greece and Italy alone have seen more than 300 000 refugees since the beginning of 2015 with the rate entry increasing every month.

Some 2 500 people have died or gone missing this year while attempting the crossing to Europe. The Al-Imdaad Foundation has been supporting refugees in the first tier of neighbouring Middle Eastern countries such as Jordan, Turkey, and Tunisia for a number of years now through partners on the ground and our Middle Eastern office based in Jordan.

In response to the increased number of refugees entering Europe this year that came into the public spotlight on social media, the Al-Imdaad Foundation put out an emergency appeal and mobilised its teams into action. Teams were dispatched to locations within Hungary and Austria, two countries that have seen thousands of refugees passing through them in recent weeks. The first team arrived on the ground in Austria and proceeded to provide food, water, clothing and other essentials to refugees who had walked for many kilometres on their way from Hungary. The team also assisted in the setting up of temporary shelters including inflatable mattresses and bedding packs for refugees in transit through Europe.

Abdul Ahad Miah, from the Al-Imdaad Foundation’s UK branch described how the teams had worked late into the night to continue with distributions of food to the struggling refugees in several locations in Austria including rural areas close to the border. A second team arrived in Budapest, Hungary to see to the needs of refugees stationed there.

Making their way to the Keleti train station, where an informal camp has been set up by the refugees, the teams witnessed large numbers of people sleeping out in the open with young children and infants sleeping on cold floors. The teams spent much of the day and night, distributing pre-packaged food and other essential items to the refugee families at the station.

Although the teams came along with pre-packaged food and other items, after assessing the situation on the ground and interacting with the refugees they realised that there was also a critical need for hygiene items amongst the refugees.

The teams thus purchased hygiene items on the ground and put together hygiene packs which were distributed to the refugees. The Al-Imdaad Foundation is also looking at other ways to assist the refugees in Europe with medium to long term requirements such as sanitation facilities along the route as well as assistance with transport expenses.

The world is facing the biggest wave of forced migration since the Second World War with hundreds of thousands forced from their homes due to conflict and political persecution. The Al-Imdaad Foundation is reaching out to these vulnerable refugee families where they need it most.

To contribute towards the Al-Imdaad Foundation’s efforts or for more information, please visit www.alimdaad.com or call 0861 786 243.