UNICEF is helping to keep children warm, as temperatures drop

Thousands of children and families from Nagorno-Karabakh living in temporary shelters or being hosted by families in Armenia face a harsh winter. To help ease the financial burden on families, UNICEF provided 500 sets of warm blankets and bed linen to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs this week to distribute in Yerevan and other municipalities where families have sought safety.

“Winter brings many problems. Families will have to face higher utility payments and the need for proper warm clothing and boots. There are families that have temporarily hosted others and will have difficulty to sustain this,” said UNICEF Armenia Social Protection Officer Armenuhi Hovakimyan.

“Together with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the 10 municipalities, UNICEF is working to provide more targeted support. We hope to raise additional funding to reach more children, including through cash support to affected families and children.”

In October and November, UNICEF provided 300 blankets and sets of bed linen, as well as 4,500 hygiene kits to meet the basic of needs of families from Nagorno-Karabakh. Each hygiene kit consisted of a toothbrush, toothpaste, wet and dry wipes, baby diapers, lady’s hygiene pads, soap, shampoo, a comb, hand and bath towels, a pair of socks, underwear, scissors, cotton balls, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, a sponge, and betadine, all packed in a reusable cloth bag.

To help protect families from the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF also provided masks and sanitizers, together with an informative booklet on how to best support children during the pandemic.