October 13 2020

Al Tamimi & Company continues to support vulnerable children and families in Iraq amid COVID-19 pandemic

SOS Children’s Villages believes in the value of building long-term partnerships in the UAE to support its programmes in the MENA region and around the world

For the third year in a row, Al Tamimi & Company renews its commitment to support the mission of SOS Children’s Villages.  This year’s partnership with Al Tamimi & Company will support vulnerable children in Iraq amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The donation from Al Tamimi will support Internally Displaced Families (IDPs) in Dohuk and Erbil through provision of essential medication and baby kits.  Harry Goodall, Director, SOS Children’s Villages International, Gulf Area Office praised this partnership saying, “We are humbled by the continuous generosity of committed partners such as Al Tamimi & Company.  With their support, we are able to plan and execute better and thus reach more children and benefit more families in need.”

As a leading law firm with a constant and visible presence in the market Al Tamimi & Company has been committed to supporting children in the MENA region.  “Given the limited number of NGOs that are continuing to work in cooperation with camps, both IDPs and refugees living in the camps lack most basic life needs. Most of these already vulnerable people depend on their daily work to secure their livelihood. With the restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic it is extremely difficult for them to cover their daily expenditures. We aim to help lighten their burden,” said Samer Qudah, Managing Partner, Al Tamimi & Company.

At the end of 2016 SOS Children’s Villages launched its emergency programme in the Dohuk region of Iraqi Kurdistan to help ethnic Yazidis and other families living in or near the Khanke refugee camp. These families, displaced by violence, had been severely traumatised by their experiences and in need of psychological and emotional care, as well as economic and livelihood assistance. The organisation has since extended its programme to reach families in Erbil, many of which had fled fighting in the Iraqi city of Mosul, which was retaken by the Iraqi government.  Since only medical and food assistance are allowed amidst the pandemic prevention measures, SOS Children’s Villages has adapted its activities to respond to the current needs of the already vulnerable population with a COVID-19 crisis intervention and response.

This partnership is approved by IACAD with permit no. 3205.