As bitterly cold conditions set in around the Middle East, local charities are urging residents in Qatar to donate to new “warm winter” campaigns to help those in need.
This year, the focus is on displaced Syrians living in refugee camps in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraqi Kurdistan, where tents have not been enough to keep out the cold.
In its winter campaign literature, the Qatar Red Crescent states:
“While millions around the world prepare for winter with heaters, warm clothes, and raincoats, many disadvantaged communities receive only prayers to survive the bitter frost and the heavy rain. They hope to be lucky to obtain any form of winter supplies.”
Residents are being asked to help by donating money that will buy food, water, cooking ingredients like oil and flour, tents, heaters and winter clothes. Here’s how to contribute:
Qatar Red Crescent
Donations can be made the charity’s headquarters in Al Salata, its Al-Khor branch, its women’s branch near Obaidly Roundabout or at booths in City Center Mall, Landmark Mall, Villaggio Mall, Ezdan Mall, Hyatt Plaza, The Mall and Al Meera outlets.
Residents can also donate online here or via SMS.
To donate QR50, SMS “W” to 92176. To donate QR100, SMS “W” to 92766. To donate QR500, SMS “W” to 92770. And to donate QR1000, SMS “W” to 92740.
Qatar Charity
Donations can be made online or at its main branch in the Old Airport area (4466 7711) or at any of its booths in local malls.
They can also be made via SMS: to donate QR50, SMS “Syria” to 92632; to donate QR100, SMS “Syria” to 92642; to donate QR500, SMS “Syria” to 92428; and to donate QR1,000, SMS “Syria” to 92429.
Eid Charity
Donations can be made online here or via SMS; SMS QR50 to 92332; SMS QR100 to 920241; SMS QR500 to 92860; and QR1000 to 92861. For more information, call 77073030.
RAF Foundation
Donations can be made online here or via SMS; SMS QR50 to 92648; SMS QR100 to 92155; SMS QR500 to 92166; and QR1,000 to 92177. For more information, call 55341818.
In response to a question about donations of clothing items or blankets, a QRC representative said that only funds are being sought for this campaign. He added:
“Sending in-kind donations is costly and takes a very long time. We transfer the funds to the target region, and our staff immediately purchase the items from the local markets there.”
Thoughts?
Link to QRCS doesn’t work.
http://www.qrcs.org.qa/ works…
It was fixed yesterday, so hopefully working now…
These people in Syria certainly need the help, caught between a brutal regime of Assad and various violent Islamic groups each claiming to be the only true believers, it is a disaster for ordinary Syrians. I would like to see the GCC states help their Arab brothers and take in thousands of refugees each rather than the burden falling on Jordan and Lebanon who can’t cope. However I feel the GCC states would rather send money to their favourite religious groups. Do they realise funding religious crazies on one hand and giving add to the displaced doesn’t work. You just continue the violence and you end up with a mess like Libya.
Winter ends by March , shouldn’t they have started by the end of Summer to in order to avoid the rush and be well prepared !!
Well various aid groups have had money pledged to them, which hasn’t been delivered. Over a month ago the World Food Program had to start cutting back on its aid in Syria because countries have been breaking their promises to provide aid. Collectively Saudi, Kuwait, UK, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Oman, Switzerland, have have provided about $400 million less in aid than what they had promised.
The shortfall now isn’t entirely due to a lac of planning, but more to do with a lack of money.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/2/syria-refugees-go-hungry-as-wealthy-nations-fail-t/?page=all
And the number of refugees in Qatar is …. how many?
Any information about the transparency and/or effectiveness of these charities? If you’re giving money you should know where it goes.
Where can one donate actual items? Received messages that items were being collected but seems to be untrue.
Sadly, they won’t make any meaningful changes to address the de facto slavery that exists within their own country among the laborers who are living lives not a great deal better than refugees. I’m not against the aid, but I find it odd that a problem that can be addressed at home with the stroke of a pen is so readily ignored.