Winter Emergency Appeal: Where Your Support Goes

The scale of the crisis in Afghanistan is worrying. Nearly half of the population - approximately 23 million people, with some estimating that number could be as high as 28 million, rely on humanitarian aid to survive. This stems from a combination of factors, including economic collapse, climate change-related issues such as drought and food insecurity, and the mass return of refugees from neighbouring countries.  

Now, as the harsh winter approaches, this catastrophic situation will only get worse. 

Harsh winters bring life-threatening conditions, particularly in mountainous and high-altitude regions where access to remote areas becomes incredibly challenging, and temperatures can drop to lethal lows of -25°C. For families without solid shelter, heating, or warm clothing, this cold is a direct threat to their lives. It is the most vulnerable among them - the children, orphans, pregnant women, elderly, and those with disabilities, who are in the greatest danger. 

Consider this: over 900,000 people in high-priority districts are at risk of receiving no heating aid or winter assistance. Without it, they face a high risk of death from hypothermia, pneumonia, and other preventable health complications. 

The crisis extends beyond the cold. A critical lack of adequate shelter forces countless families into makeshift tents or overcrowded settlements. These offer no real protection from the elements and significantly increase the risk of disease outbreaks. 

Furthermore, a severe hunger crisis weakens the population. Despite some minor improvements, over 12.6 million people face acute food insecurity. Of these, about 2 million are in "Emergency" conditions, just one step away from famine. Disrupted agriculture means families cannot feed themselves, leading to malnutrition that makes them even more vulnerable to the cold and illness. 

This is the stark reality our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan are facing. 

Winter in Gaza is unforgiving, and the situation has gone beyond catastrophic. Almost 100% of residential buildings are damaged. Families aren't just without food, shelter and heating - they're living in the rubble which they once called home. 

The intense cold weather is accelerating a total collapse of public health. In overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, contaminated water and poor sanitation have triggered widespread outbreaks of respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and jaundice. With the healthcare system shattered, these preventable diseases are spiraling toward epidemics, with children and the elderly at greatest risk. 

There are recent devastating reports of newborns dying from hypothermia - A direct result of the cold and a critical lack of basic supplies. The aid that could save them, including blankets, tents, and medical equipment, remains blocked at the border. 

The URNWA has issued clear warnings: the ongoing blockade of aid means the coming winter will be even more severe. Vital shelter materials and humanitarian supplies are being prevented from entering, sitting in warehouses in Jordan and Egypt, forcing Gaza deeper into a crisis that is already unfathomable. Since October 2023, more than 68,000 people have been killed in Gaza. The immense loss of life since October 2023 is now compounded by the threat of a deadly winter. 
 
Despite these challenges, Alhamdulillah, One Ummah is acting. Our trusted, long-standing partners on the ground have enabled us to deliver aid directly to those in need. Recently, in October 2025, we distributed nutritious meat and rice, food and vegetable packs, fresh produce and hygiene support.  

Syria's humanitarian crisis doesn't pause for winter; it intensifies. An estimated 16.7 million people require urgent assistance and protection, with over half the pre-war population still displaced from their homes. Internally, more than 7.4 million Syrians remain displaced within their own country. 

The winter in Syria is uniquely brutal. Conditions have grown more unpredictable, with longer periods of severe cold and intense snowstorms that deepen the existing suffering. A crippling lack of resources and insufficient aid make the season unbearable for millions. Widespread poverty and unemployment, affecting nearly 90% of the population, leave families with no means to prepare for or withstand the cold. This constant struggle inflicts profound psychological stress alongside the physical hardship. 

The most vulnerable, particularly widows and orphans, often lack even basic warm clothing, placing them at severe risk of life-threatening illnesses like flu and pneumonia. 

The situation has been drastically worsened by renewed fighting in northwest Syria. Since late 2024, over 1.2 million, most of them women and children, have been forced to flee. These families are now confronting a harsh winter exposed in flimsy tents, uninsulated makeshift shelters, and the remains of bombed-out buildings. 

In Lebanon, the onset of winter exposes a nation in deep crisis. For returning families, the reality is one of destroyed homes and crippled infrastructure, with essential services like healthcare, water, and education severely disrupted. 

The country also hosts enormous refugee populations. Lebanon hosts approximately 1.5 million displaced Syrians and over 200,000 Palestinian refugees. Displaced Syrians and Palestinian refugees face particularly acute levels of poverty and food insecurity. 

For the thousands of families who live in refugee camps and impoverished communities, winter is a challenge to survive. As temperatures drop, the challenges of staying warm and safe become life-threatening. For the vulnerable, especially refugees who have fled conflict, winter is a time of survival.  

The economic collapse and political instability have made basic winter necessities unattainable. Heating and warm clothing are unaffordable luxuries for nearly 2 million refugees, most of whom live in informal settlements that offer little protection. Winter storms routinely destroy these flimsy tents, leaving families exposed. Soaring fuel prices have placed heating entirely out of reach for countless households. 

Winter in Lebanon is especially tough on those who already face significant challenges. Refugee families who can’t afford basic necessities, children with illnesses due to damp living conditions, and the elderly who live in rural areas are just some of those who will suffer in silence without your support this winter.  

Pakistan is facing one of its coldest winters in decades, a direct consequence of the La Niña climate pattern. This severe cold will further cripple communities still reeling from historic floods, especially in the vulnerable mountainous regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan. 

The country remains at the epicenter of climate-driven disasters. The devastation from the 2022 monsoon floods is ongoing, with over 1.5 million people still displaced and without permanent housing. Subsequent monsoons in 2023 and 2024 have repeatedly set back recovery efforts, deepening the displacement crisis. 

The expected impacts this winter include:  

• Major disruptions to crop harvesting. 
• An increased risk of dengue outbreaks from stagnant water. 
• A heightened threat of glacial lake floods in northern areas. 
• Critical water shortages for irrigation. 
• Intensified smog and air pollution in populated plains. 
• Severe impacts on livestock, a key source of livelihood. 

Consequently, the population is threatened not just by freezing temperatures but by a compounded crisis of food insecurity, public health collapse, and economic ruin. 

Winter compounds the suffering. Families who lost their homes to floods now face freezing temperatures in temporary shelters or damaged houses. Countless farmers missed the winter crop season due to flooded land and a lack of agricultural inputs. 

Over one million Rohingya refugees live in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar, the largest refugee camp in the world. 95% of the Rohingya population relies entirely on humanitarian assistance for protection, food, water, shelter, and health. They live in temporary shelters in a highly congested camp setting. 

With Bangladesh one of the most vulnerable countries in the world for natural disasters, Rohingya refugees are highly exposed to weather-related hazards, such as cyclones, floods, droughts, earthquakes, and landslides. Rising sea levels and erratic weather patterns also increase the frequency and severity of disasters. 

Their legal status compounds their suffering. Denied citizenship and recognition for decades, the Rohingya are the world's largest stateless population. This lack of legal protection leaves them extremely vulnerable to exploitation, violence, and abuse, after already enduring a long history of persecution. This winter, these existing hardships will intensify under the harsh conditions. 

The funding situation is dire. The 2025-26 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis appealed for US$934.5 million to meet the needs of 1.09 million refugees and 392,000 members of host communities. However, significant reductions in donor contributions in 2025 have necessitated an urgent and extensive reprioritisation of activities, with approximately 49% of the original appeal required for critical, life-saving interventions. 

The humanitarian crisis in Myanmar has escalated to unprecedented levels. An estimated 19.9 million people, over a third of the country's population, now require humanitarian assistance. Widespread conflict has forced nearly 3.5 million people from their homes, making them internally displaced. 

The scale of need is immense. A staggering 15.2 million people face acute food insecurity, struggling daily to find enough to eat. Essential services have crumbled; the education and health systems are near total collapse, and millions lack access to safe shelter and clean water. 

The conflict continues to intensify. In 2024 alone, nearly 900,000 people were newly displaced, a 37% increase from the previous year. Then, in March 2025, a catastrophic earthquake of 7.7 magnitude, the strongest in a century, struck the Sagaing Fault. This natural disaster has compounded the man-made one, prompting a state of emergency across multiple regions. 

Families displaced by conflict now face winter alongside earthquake devastation. Your support provides emergency shelter, blankets, and winter relief to people who have lost everything. 

There is no hiding from the facts. And the fact is, in the forgotten camps and villages where One Ummah works, the cold is a merciless enemy. And the information above isn’t just statistics. It’s our family, our Ummah, our brothers and sisters. Every number represents a name, a face, a family. A mother trying to keep her children warm. An elderly man who's survived war only to face death from the cold. A child who's never known a warm winter. 

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever relieves a Muslim of some worldly distress, Allah will relieve him of some of the distress of the Day of Resurrection" (Sunan Ibn Majah 225). 

One Ummah operates with full transparency. We work with established and trusted partners on the ground in each country, ensuring that your life-saving aid reaches those who need it most.  

We operate a strict 100% donation policy, meaning that whatever project you donate towards is the project the funds are allocated to. We won’t take any portion for marketing, administrative, or other expenses.  

Winter doesn't wait. While you read this, temperatures are dropping. Families are huddling together trying to stay warm. Children are going to sleep cold and hungry. Elderly people are suffering through nights that might be their last if they don't receive help. 

Allahﷻ says: "...and give food—despite their desire for it—to the poor, the orphan, and the captive, ˹saying to themselves,˺ ‘We feed you only for the sake of Allah, seeking neither reward nor thanks from you.’" [Qur'an 76:8-9]. 

One Ummah is on the ground delivering life-saving winter aid—heaters, mattresses, blankets, clothing, food, and other winter essentials- to seven countries in need, including Gaza, Syria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. 

Visit One Ummah's Winter Emergency Appeal page and select the country or countries you wish to support. You can give as a one-time donation or set up monthly support to provide ongoing winter relief. Every amount makes a difference - £10 can provide hot meals, £100 can provide emergency winter packs. No matter what you donate, we can guarantee that it will go towards a worthy cause: saving our Ummah this winter.  

Winter is here. Our Ummah is freezing. Be the warmth someone desperately needs. Stand with One Ummah, United Against Winter. Donate now.   

Jazakum Allah Khayr.