Winter doesn’t wait: Help refugees prepare for the crushing cold

After surviving horrific conflict, displaced families from Ukraine to Syria still aren't safe. With winter looming in the Northern Hemisphere, lives are at risk.

Soon, families will be trying to stop their tents from collapsing beneath snow, or burning paper and plastic just to stay warm. With temperatures dropping fast, vulnerable families urgently need more assistance.

Ukraine: A fifth winter at war

Ukrainian winters are bitterly cold. Sub-zero temperatures and violent storms put lives at risk. Last winter was the coldest of the full-scale war so far, and targeted attacks on energy infrastructure left millions shivering in freezing darkness.

Families like Tetiana’s dread what this winter will bring.

In 2019, Tetiana and Mykolo bought a beautiful family home, giving them more space to live together with their children and grandchildren. But just three years later, their dream was in tatters. The family was spending long stretches in the cellar, only coming out to eat. As attacks came dangerously close, they fled through the surrounding fields and forests, taking shelter in an abandoned kindergarten.

“We didn’t take anything with us,” says Tetiana. “The main thing was to save the children.”

When it was safe, they returned to find their house badly damaged – the roof torn apart, doors blown off and windows broken. They tried to make repairs with the limited materials available, but the roof continued to leak. Last winter, they also endured long power outages that left them without heat or light.

"Sometimes we didn't have power for seven hours," says Tetiana. "After one attack, an outage lasted for 10 hours. We want peace and everyone to come back home and live their lives just like before.”

Lebanon: A dangerous season

Winter in Lebanon is cold and wet. Heavy rain can flood camps and bring down homes. In mountainous areas such as Bekaa, temperatures can dip below zero.

Among the most vulnerable this season are Syrian refugees like Hala and Khaled, who still can’t return home safely. Their house in Hama has been destroyed and they have no money to rebuild. They live in a camp in the mountains, where they face extreme winter weather. In previous years, their shelter has collapsed under heavy snow. When it rains, their bedding is soaked and it becomes impossible to sleep.

“If there is a harsh winter, I spend most nights awake,” says Hala. “When the snow falls, we don’t sleep at night. People stay on the roof, removing snow, while others hold plastic sheets, trying to block the water.”

Increasingly, Hala and Khaled have to take on debt to buy essentials. Work is very difficult to find, especially in winter, and many families rely on loans from shopkeepers.

“Right now, the children need bread,” says Khaled. “I have to borrow from the shop to get it. And that’s just bread, without even getting other food or household items.”

Helping families survive winter

UNHCR teams have mobilised early to reach vulnerable families across Ukraine, Lebanon, Syria and Afghanistan with vital winter aid. With support from generous donors like you, UNHCR is providing:

• Shelter: Repairing and insulating damaged homes to protect people from the elements.

• Emergency cash: Providing much-needed cash for families struggling to cover winter costs like food, medicine and fuel.

• Survival Kits: Delivering vital winter aid like mattresses, sleeping bags, thermal blankets and solar lamps.

But with winter right around the corner, thousands of families are still waiting for help. Your urgent donation can provide warmth and protection through the long, dark months ahead.

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