Winter clothing from M’sia for Syrian refugees

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has sent 1,000 boxes of winter clothing to women and children refugees in the village of Shebaa, a remote mountainous area in southeastern Lebanon, about 150 kilometres from Beirut.

Wisma Putra, in a statement yesterday, said the boxes, worth USD28,500 (RM125,682), also contained blankets.

“Since Lebanon is experiencing severe winter conditions, it is important to ensure that the most vulnerable of refugees, namely children and women, are given assistance, even though they are located in remote and dangerous areas, as it would at least help reduce their suffering.

“Due to the shortage of supplies in the area, the Malaysian Embassy purchased the items in the southwestern city of Tyre in Lebanon, and brought it to Shebaa, southeast of Lebanon, about 100 kilometres through mountain roads,” it said.

The aid was then distributed by Malaysian Ambassador to Lebanon, Bala Chandran Tharman and his wife, last Thursday.

Shebaa Social Development Center chief Mohammad alSaadi said Malaysia was the first country to channel aid directly to the refugees in the village.

The channelling of aid is also one of the humanitarian missions undertaken by the Malaysian Embassy in Lebanon to help Syrian refugees at the northern and eastern borders of Lebanon and Syria.

The Prime Minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, who is the patron of the Global Children’s Wellbeing Fund (GCWF) and president of the Welfare Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers, had earlier announced an initiative to extend humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees.

The charity organisations donated a total of USD360,000 to be distributed to Syrian refugees at the border of Lebanon. The amount is part of the USD600,000 (RM2.7 million) donated by GCWF and Bakti Malaysia for Syrian refugees at the border of Jordan and Lebanon. - Bernama