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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
About A Plate for All
What is A Plate for All’s mission?
A Plate for All's mission is to reduce the food insecurity of Iraqi refugees living in Syria.
Our broader vision is to reduce the hunger and malnutrition of displaced peoples by promoting food security. We believe that food security is a basic human right and will reduce daily suffering; support use of other basic services; promote regional and international stability; and support healthy bodies and minds.
We do research in refugee communities to identify gaps in food aid provision and food access, and then we work to fill those gaps, keeping the nutritional needs of the most vulnerable at the forefront. This includes: children, pregnant or nursing mothers, widows, destitute families, the unaccompanied elderly, and the sick or disabled.
Currently, our mission is being fulfilled through direct food aid. We work through a local partner, in the communities where the food insecure live; this allows us to better understand the conditions and demographics of need.
What services does A Plate for All offer?
In keeping with our mission to find and fill aid gaps for the food insecure, we assist the Iraqi refugee population living in Northeastern Syria with direct food aid. We distribute simple, nutritional, food packages, free of charge to those who demonstrate need (i.e. the most vulnerable). Our food packages are available to all regardless of status or affiliation. A Plate for All purchases and prepares all food locally.
One goal within this program is to develop connections within the community in order to better understand its needs and work with the population to address them. We plan to expand services to include an education component. Also, our contacts within the community refer refugees to other services available to them, such as health care; education; vocational skills classes; and other government, non-profit, and UN services.
What is A Plate for All’s long-term plan?
Because A Plate for All aims to address the needs of vulnerable refugee populations, its planning and programming is directly linked to the development of emergency situations, refugee movement, and need.
A Plate for All has developed a mid-term plan for it’s initial program, the community food distribution in Hassakeh, Syria, which includes several phases. Currently, we are working to expand services to include an education component.
Beyond this initial programming, A Plate for All closely follows the ever-changing situation of Iraqi refugees on the ground in Syria, in order to maintain relevant services by adapting according to need.
A Plate for All’s long-term vision is to redefine the way that aid organizations recognize need and analyze gaps in food aid. We aim to accomplish this by setting precedents on the ground through our work, and by conducting research, analysis and advocacy.
How can I support the work that A Plate for All does?
Your support is crucial; your donations allow Iraqi refugees to have access to nutritious food. Your donations also allow A Plate for All to sustain and expand its community food distribution to underserved Iraqi refugees and disadvantaged Syrians.
YOU CAN HELP!
Send your tax-deductible donations, made payable to A Plate for All, to:
A Plate for All
1 Phinney St.
Gorham, ME 04038
Or Donate Online:
How can I receive updates on A Plate for All’s progress?
To receive regular updates or additional information, sign up for our newsletter.
About Iraqi Refugees
How many Iraqi refugees are there?
Since the war in Iraqi began in 2003, about 4.4 million Iraqis have been displaced. About 2.4 million of the displaced are living inside Iraq, while the rest are living throughout the Middle East in places like Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Turkey and several Gulf States.
At the time of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, there were a low number of Iraqi refugees fleeing to Syria. The bombing of the Golden Mosque of Samara in 2006, however, marked Iraq’s decline into extreme sectarian violence that forced millions of Iraqis from their homes. From February 2006 to October 2007 between 30,000-60,000 Iraqi refugees flowed into Syria each month.
Today there are 700,000 Iraqi refugees in Syria. About half of these refugees are children under the age of 18; and about 36% of the refugee families living in Syria are female-headed households.
What is the overall situation of Iraqi refugees in Syria?
Of Arab countries, Syria has kept its borders open the longest to incoming refugees from neighboring Iraq. Today, there are 700,000 Iraqi refugees in Syria.
Iraqi refugees in Syria tend to live in communities together, with the majority in Damascus and rural Damascus (84%). Almost all Iraqis live in rented apartments. An average two-room apartment, in which most Iraqis live, cost $150 per month in 2006, and $300 per month in 2007—the price doubled, and the numbers are still rising. 15% of Iraqi families live in shared accommodations with other families to save on expenses.
Although the Syrian Government allows Iraqi refugees access to basic services such as healthcare and education, Iraqis are not allowed to work in Syria. Iraqis fleeing into Syria in 2006 and 2007 did not bring much money or many valuables with them because of time constraint or for fear of bandits on the road. Consequently, most brought $50-$200 with them to cover expenses en route. Many Iraqis are forced to travel back to Iraq to sell property, a car, or other possessions.
Because work in Syria is illegal for Iraqi refugees, the majority live on savings, assistance outside of Syria, or sale of personal property. These sources, however, are rapidly depleting, causing refugees to turn to other options. Some work underpaid, illegal shifts in factories and other service-sector jobs. Trafficking and prostitution are on the rise due to financial straits. 10% of Iraqi refugee children are working for an average of $1-2/day to help support their families. Estimates of Iraqi unemployment range from 55%-80% in Damascus. Trafficking and prostitution among Iraqi women and girls is on the rise because of these financial difficulties. Many Iraqis have run out of money more quickly than they anticipated. Prices are higher in Syria than in Iraq, and they continue to rise. Iraqi households reported spending twice as much on food in Syria as in Iraq. Families in a stable financial situation spend an average of $3 per person per day, with some of the poorest families spending only $0.50 per person per day.
Though most Iraqis are dealing with worsening conditions, some groups are in urgent need: destitute families, the unaccompanied elderly, unaccompanied children, pregnant or breast feeding women, and the sick or disabled.
Children are one of the most vulnerable groups in any refugee population. 5.6% of Iraqi children in Damascus are underweight (or wasting), 8.9% are stunted, and 19.3% have anemia.
The situation is getting worse. Food prices are rising. Rents are rising. Work is illegal. Mobility is extremely limited. Family savings and assets are exhausted. People are hungry and desperate. They need help.
Iraqi and Syrian schoolchildren, attending a school in rural Damascus, Syria, crowd the gate to say goodbye. When Iraqi refugees have the means to feed their families, they are more likely to send their children to school.
Copyright UNICEF/SYR/2008/Osman
Are there other organizations addressing the needs of Iraqi refugees in Syria?
There are multiple UN agencies, international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), government agencies and community-based organizations (CBOs) working to address the needs of Iraqi refugees in Syria. There are, however, only a few organizations addressing food/nutrition needs.
The World Food Program, in coordination with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), is distributing 30lb boxes of dry food goods every 2-3 months to Iraqi refugees who are registered with UNHCR. Only 20%+ of the Iraqi refugees living in Syria are registered; consequently, the majority does not receive this food aid. Many of the unregistered cite fear of giving away personal information as a major reason for not registering.
Can Iraqi refugees go back to Iraq?
Despite news and reports to the contrary, the situation in Iraq is still unsafe. The UN Refugee Agency in Syria (UNHCR) does not support a return of Iraqi refugees to Iraq due to continued sectarian violence, kidnappings, torture and general insecurity in Iraq. For the time being, Iraqi refugees remain in Syria, and in other host countries, to await a more secure homeland.
What does the future look like for Iraqi refugees in Syria?
With the violence in Iraq showing no clear sign of abating, it is probable that the situation for Iraqi refugees will not change in the near future. If the violence does come to an end, many Iraqis will return to their much-altered homeland. Many, however, do not wish to return to the place where they have lost so much.
There are a myriad of factors at stake, which will play into the future of Iraqi refugees. But right now survival, health, and basic dignity are among the issues at hand. We can help.