World Vision New Zealand Aids Iraq's Refugees

World Vision New Zealand has recently pledged NZD$50,000 in aid to help victims of the Iraq refugee crisis.

"The Iraqi refugee situation is bigger than Darfur and threatens to get bigger," says Tennille Bergin, spokesperson for World Vision.

Two million Iraqis have fled across the borders to escape the violence in their home country with 700,000 in Jordan, says Bergin. "People have been subjected to violence both generally and individually."

The money has come from an emergency fund set up after last year's 40-hour famine drive, and will be used to help provide human essentials and education for the displaced Iraqis who are being refused refugee status by the Jordanian government.

"Jordan and other nations in the region don't have the infrastructure and services to accommodate such numbers," says Hendrik Harbers, World Vision relief co-ordinator for the Middle East.

The United Nations reports as many as 50,000 Iraqis are fleeing the country each month, many staying with relatives or in abandoned buildings.

World Vision will support partner organisations in providing food and non-food essentials, providing basic healthcare and non-formal education to children.