UNICEF And WFP Launch Second Joint Programme To Help Syrian Children Weather The Harsh Winter In Jordan

AMMAN, Jordan – As the harsh cold winter approaches Jordan, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) have launched a winter cash assistance programme that will allow vulnerable Syrian families in Za’atari and Azraq camps to buy warm winter clothing for all their children. 

This is the second year that UNICEF and WFP partner to provide support to vulnerable Syrian children during the winter. The one-time cash grant from UNICEF will provide 20 Jordanian Dinars each to a total of 51,851 children under the age of 18 in the two camps. This assistance will be delivered through electronic food vouchers (e-cards) provided by WFP to Syrian families to buy food every month. The money can be used to buy winter clothes, such as boots, gloves, trousers, coats and scarves at WFP-contracted supermarkets in the camps until mid-January 2016.

“UNICEF’s top priority during the harsh winter months in Jordan is to ensure that vulnerable families are able to keep their children warm, healthy and active, and continue to attend schools and learning programmes,” said the UNICEF Representative, Robert Jenkins. “Our partnership with WFP is highly significant, as it enables us to use their cost efficient e-cards to provide support to every child in the two camps this winter.” 

Families in the camps are being informed through SMS, posters, flyers and awareness sessions with camp community leaders that the UNICEF cash assistance is for the winter needs of their children. 

“We are very excited to partner with UNICEF again particularly at such a crucial time in the year,” said WFP Jordan Country Director Mageed Yahia. “This collaboration demonstrates our solid commitment to the wellbeing of the children we support and brings to life WFP’s vision for stronger inter-agency partnership in Jordan.”   

UNICEF is reaching over 150,000 vulnerable children this winter in camps and host communities in Jordan with cash assistance and in-kind winter clothing in partnership with UNHCR, WFP and NGO partners. Through its e-card programme, WFP provides monthly food assistance to 523,000 vulnerable Syrian refugees in camps and communities in Jordan.

The 2015-2016 winterization programme has been made possible through the generous support from the governments of Canada, European Commission’s Humanitarian aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO), Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States.  

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For more information, contact:

UNICEF
Miraj Pradhan: Tel: +962 (0) 790 214 191 mpradhan@unicef.org
Samir Badran: Tel: +962 (0) 796 926 180 sbadran@unicef.org

WFP
Shada Moghraby: Tel: +962 797 280 924  shada.moghraby@wfp.org