Winter | Help refugees

Girl during snow storm Lebanon, February 2022

This coming winter will be very challenging for millions of people forced to flee their homes around the world. Steep rises in the cost of basic commodities such as food and fuel, combined with the climate crisis and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, are forming a triple threat. Many refugees and displaced families will have to face the winter while struggling to keep warm. 

For people forced to flee the war in Ukraine, UNHCR is providing winter supplies and helping reinforce homes and shelters in preparation of freezing temperatures. 

In Afghanistan, we are delivering essential items such as blankets, solar panels and winter insulation for tents to help vulnerable displaced families through the harsh winter months. 

For displaced Syrians and Iraqis across the Middle East, UNHCR is on the ground working day and night providing aid and distributing life-saving supplies. 

But we cannot continue this work without your help.  

We need to act now, before it is too late. 

Your donation can help keep people forced to flee safe and warm this winter.

 

Why is it important that you help refugees?

Never before in history have there been so many people forced to flee war, violence or persecution. More than 100 million men, women and children are desperately in need of a safer future. They are people just like you and me. UNHCR is helping them, but we cannot do this alone.

In order to continue to provide life-saving aid, we are in urgent need of more financial support. Lack of funding means that children are going without food, sick people are not receiving adequate care, and schools are not being built. 

Your contribution to the work of UNHCR is needed more than ever.

Why is a monthly donation better for refugees?

Thanks to a monthly contribution, refugees receive our help 

  • Faster: More predictable income allows us to respond immediately when a crisis occurs, ensuring that UNHCR is always the first to come to the aid of refugees in need. 

  • In a more durable manner: Thanks to monthly donations, UNHCR can go beyond short-term emergency aid, allowing us to plan ahead and to find durable solutions for and with refugees.  

  • In a more efficient way: Long-term, predictable income allows UNHCR to do what it does best, and that’s saving lives, protecting fundamental rights and building better futures. It lowers administrative costs and allows us to spend less time and energy on raising funds. 

Why is a monthly donation better for you?

With a monthly contribution, you can 

  • Make a bigger difference: A monthly contribution helps save lives in the short term but also helps build better futures in the long run.

  • Have full control: You can very easily increase, decrease or cancel your monthly donation by emailing us at [email protected].

  • Save time: From the moment you create your monthly donation, your contribution will automatically be deducted through a secured transfer and you will be making a real difference every month.

  • Be very proud: You are there for people forced to flee when they need you most.

How can I stay informed?

We’d love to keep you up to date on the situation of people forced to flee around the world, on how UNHCR is protecting them, and on how you can get involved. All you need to do when you are completing your donation is to check the box “Yes, I would like to receive UNHCR news about the impact of my support on the daily lives of refugees and their future.” 

Can I donate directly on a bank account?

Yes you can! If you wish to make a direct donation to our bank account, please find all relevant information on this webpage: 

Please note that if you make a direct donation and wish to stay informed about the work of UNHCR and the impact of your donation, you will need to register separately for our newsletter:

€ 1500

can help to insulate a home in Ukraine

€ 265

can provide winter cash assistance to a displaced family in Afghanistan to help them buy heating fuel and winter clothes

€ 76

can provide an electrical heating appliance to a family in Ukraine to warm their home

Your money helps UNHCR save lives, safeguard fundamental rights and build better futures for people forced to flee their homes. UNHCR staff work as closely as possible with and for people forced to flee, with 90% of our workforce based in field locations.

Transparency is key for us so we’ve bundled everything in our publicly available Global Report.

If you have questions concerning your donation to the UN Refugee Agency, or if you experience difficulties while processing your donation on this site, please email us at [email protected]. 

Please note that donations to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, may not be tax deductible depending on the country you are in.