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AFSC's Humanitarian Assistance in Iraq

AFSC distributed shoes at the Al Huda squatter camp. Learn more about it> Photo: McDowell/Trotochaud

Since 1917, the American Friends Service Committee has touched the lives of people all over the world-in Europe and the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Central and South America, and the United States. Throughout its more than 85-year history, AFSC has provided aid without regard to politics, religion, or nationality.

AFSC's relief efforts in Iraq began in 1990, shortly after Iraq 's invasion and occupation of Kuwait, with relief assistance to some of the 300,000 foreign workers who left Iraq for Jordan in the weeks following the invasion.

AFSC then supported the Iraqi people by helping to rebuild a water treatment center, rebuilding schools, and sending water purifiers to provide clean water for hospitals and schools-a violation of the United Nations' sanctions policy in place at the time.

More recently, AFSC has

• provided medicine and construcedt sanitary facilities in homeless camps,
  
  
• purchased emergency supplies and furnishings for an orphanage,
  
  
• supported a home for abused women and girls,
  
  
• helped supply a spinal cord injury center, and
  
  
• provided funds so that more than a dozen Iraqi nongovernmental organizations could take part in a series of capacity-building workshops.

For more specifics, see our Relief Updates >

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