Swisscross Visit to Kurdistan's Refugee Camps
Kawergosk Refugee Camp. September 2023.
Providing reconstructive and disability-reversing surgery to refugees is a core part of our work in Kurdistan. Refugees and displaced communities make up the majority of the people we serve.
During our September 2023 humanitarian mission we had the privilege to visit Kawergosk refugee camp in Khabat, Kurdistan. Run by Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) and supported by NGOs including Intersos and UNHCR, Kawergosk currently houses approximately 8,000 people.
Swisscross, which is supported by UAE Aid, has worked closely with the Kurdistan Regional Government, it’s Ministry of Health and the BCF since the launch of the Centre of Excellence for Complex Care in Erbil. Patient referrals through these entities have been a pivotal part of gaining access to some of the most vulnerable patients in the region.
Swisscross team visited Kawergosk camp. (L-R) Kathrin Shultz, Swisscross head nurse, Iman Jabali Jasm, Camp coordinator, Sarezh Saber, Swisscross Field Officer and Swisscross CEO, Dr. Ian Furst .
While at Kawergosk refugee camp, the camp coordinator, Iman Jabali Jasm of BCF shared how they are working closely with the local host community to integrate refugees and services together to provide healthcare needs.
During a tour of the camp, we met with refugees and discussed surgical needs and looked at how we can continue a system of continued referral for patients for reconstructive surgery.
Our team was also invited to the Free Yezidi Foundation (FYF), a not for profit organization promoting the rights and well-being of Yezidis in Iraq and the diaspora, “with an emphasis on women’s empowerment, the pursuit of justice, and helping the community rebuild through trauma treatment, education, training, and economic development.”
During our visit to FYF, based in Khanke IDP Camp, Dohuk, we were introduced to refugees with injuries, burns and congenital differences. Our surgeons and doctors undertook an impromptu screening session with people who had lived with disabilities due to injuries acquired due to war and conflict.
During a visit to FYF our surgeons completed an impromptu screening of patients including a young boy unable to walk properly . September, 2023.
Our visit to Kawergosk and the Free Yezidi Foundation is a reminder that refugee and IDP camps and settlements often serve as temporary shelters for those who have fled violence and persecution. They are not just places of refuge but share untold stories of the need for assistance.
As a not-for-profit, Swisscross Foundation, has embarked on a life-changing mission to create access to surgical care in conflict-affected settings. Our purpose is clear: to provide reconstructive and disability-reversing surgery to refugees and vulnerable communities, offering a chance for healing and hope in the midst of adversity.
To support us in our mission - centred around compassion, inclusivity, and the unwavering belief that every human being deserves the chance to regain their lives and dignity - please donate.
