Irish Aid Brings Warmth to Winter

Winter has arrived in Serbia, and with it a constant influx of refugees across the Serbian border - between 1,500 and 2,500 daily. They are travelling light, only able to carry a small backpack, plastic bag, or in some cases, nothing at all.

Most refugees lack adequate clothing for winter, with only thin coats. No gloves, no scarves, sometimes not even socks. The most heartbreaking sights are small children, runny-nosed and barefoot, carried by their parents and asking for warm socks or shoes.

Winters in Serbia can be cold, at times dropping to -15° C. Freezing Košava winds cause such extreme drops in temperature that it seems there is no jacket warm enough; chills run down your spine and your jaw freezes leaving you barely able to speak.

In order to protect refugees from freezing weather conditions, World Vision Western Balkan Refugee Response teamed up with Irish Aid. Thanks to the Irish Government, World Vision will be able to improve conditions for the most vulnerable refugees – children and pregnant mothers - by distributing winter clothes, sleeping bags and shoes.

Katharina Witkowski, World Vision’s Operations Manager, is grateful to Irish Aid for their assistance. “Every day, thousands of refugees are crossing the Serbian border and with the cold weather their journey gets more difficult. Children are sick and some people are insufficiently dressed for the cold Serbian winters. Thanks to sleeping bags from Irish Aid we can make sure that these people stay warm, especially those spending the night here in Adaševci waiting to board the train the next day for Croatia.”

With help from Irish Aid and other partners, World Vision will reach out and provide support to as many refugees as possible, especially those most vulnerable groups, in order to make their journey warmer and more humane.