Iraq News Now

April 25th, 2020 ? Doha: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has completed a humanitarian project to help the vulnerable groups affected by Coronavirus lockdown in Iraq. $267,759 worth of food aid was distributed to 26,400 beneficiaries in Mosul (Nineveh) and Erbil (Iraqi Kurdistan).

A total of 2,000 and 2,800 food baskets were distributed in the two cities, respectively.

The purpose of the intervention is to alleviate the suffering of displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugees, by meeting the food needs. A special attention was paid to day laborers and low-income workers who stopped work due to the Coronavirus control measures.

To comply with the transparency regulations, the procurement was conducted under a public tender. The distributions were done in cooperation with the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and local authorities in the target areas.

Also, IRCS helped in developing the list of beneficiaries, in accordance with the selection criteria adopted for the project. Each basket contained 19 kg of food staples like rice, lentils, vegetable oil, tomato paste, sugar, and bulgur.

There are plans to expand the project, by adding extra 1,000 food baskets, to be distributed over the coming few days. All preventive measures were taken to ensure the safety of both the workers and beneficiaries. Personal protection equipment (PPE) was provided, including masks, gloves, and medical gowns. A safe distance was kept between the workers and recipients, to avoid close contact.

Home visits were made to those who could not show up to receive their food baskets.

About Qatar Red Crescent (QRCS)

Established in 1978, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) is a humanitarian volunteering organization that aims to assist and empower vulnerable individuals and communities without partiality or discrimination.

QRCS is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which consists of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and 191 National Societies. QRCS is also a member of several GCC, Arab, and Islamic organizations, such as the Islamic Committee of International Crescent and the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization (ARCO). In this legally recognized capacity, QRCS has access to disaster and conflict zones, thus serving as an auxiliary to the State of Qatar in its humanitarian efforts — a role that distinguishes it from other local charities and NGOs.

QRCS operates both locally and internationally and has ongoing international relief and development projects in a number of countries throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe. QRCS's humanitarian actions include providing support in disaster preparedness, disaster response, risk reduction, and disaster recovery. To mitigate the impact of disasters and improve the livelihoods of affected populations, QRCS provides medical services, healthcare, and social development to local communities. It is also active at the humanitarian advocacy front. With the help of a vast network of trained, committed staff and volunteers, QRCS aspires to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity.

QRCS works under the umbrella of the seven international humanitarian principles: Humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.