Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) Grant the Gift of Winter Warmth to 935 Displaced Refugees in Jordan
- ajoyce140
- Oct 1
- 3 min read
The chaos in Gaza, to many, seems as though it only began 2 years ago, on the eventful day of October 7th. But it is only one of many events that have scarred the Palestinian land over the past 77 years.
In the grand history of the war over Palestine, the current turmoil can be traced back to the 1948 Nakba (“the catastrophe”), where between 750,000 and 1 million Palestinians - half of the population at that time - were driven out of their homes and displaced from over 1,300 villages and towns. This mass exodus is just the first of many that have left Palestinians stateless, existing as refugees, lacking any legal citizenship.
Today, the number of displaced Palestinians worldwide is a staggering 9.17 million, of which 8.36 million are refugees. Even within Gaza - the little that is left of their land - 1.9 million out of 2.3 million resident Palestinians are currently displaced. This chronic displacement has plagued the Palestinians for nearly a century, with generation after generation having known no home, breaking down Palestinian culture and traditions, and knowing no other way of existing other than struggling for survival in refugee camps.
The country of Jordan hosts over 2.39 million registered Palestinian refugees, with nearly 50% of refugees being children under the age of 18. Living in shelters with leaky roofs and poor insulation, these vulnerable individuals especially suffer throughout the winter months. Having to endure extreme cold, frequent flooding, water shortages, power outages, and a lack of heating, these displaced families must ration their limited resources to afford fuel for heaters, which ironically costs a month’s income for many camp residents. Millions of refugees face a disturbing dilemma during these winter months: either feed and clothe my family or protect them from the extreme cold – to have both is a distant dream for the majority within these refugee camps.
To aid in combating the harsh winter cold, Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) has distributed winter coats that were donated to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Turning animal cruelty into human compassion, these winter furs have been repurposed to help people in need in impoverished and war-torn regions.
Over six days in the winter season of 2025, 935 refugees were provided with winter fur coats across 8 refugee camps in Jordan. The Talbieh, Beqaa, Husain, and Jerash Camps were selected as distribution sites since they experience a shortage of aid. Men, women and children were all included in the program.
Having endured decades of degradation, poverty and hardship, Palestinian refugees have become accustomed to the struggle and misery of life. However, the gift of these fur coats not only warmed the beneficiaries up immediately, preparing them for the imminent winter, but also gave them something that they had not felt for a very long time: dignity and value. Many recipients noticed how luxurious the coats felt, breaking into smiles of joy as they donned their garments. It is with this feeling of luxury and importance that they were able to return to their shacks and shelters, feeling like royalty.
As ever, it is your donations and the efforts of the team at LIFE that the bountiful gift of joy can be spread even to those who have known nothing but suffering.
