Alexandria, 4 November 2020 - IOM Egypt distributed 200 blankets to vulnerable migrants from the South Sudanese community in Alexandria, as part of the #AlexandriaWarm campaign. The Organization distributed an additional 100 blankets to the Syrian community in Alexandria in cooperation with Soryana-Alexandria, in response to the widespread request for blankets and other winter essentials from the migrant communities. This initiative takes place annually during the Winter season, as Alexandria is a coastal city and is prone to heavy rains and strong winds.

As many of these migrants were already vulnerable, their conditions are made even more dire due to the socioeconomic impact that #COVID19 has had on them. IOM Egypt supports migrant communities by providing essential items in order to mitigate the negative economic impact of the #Coronavirus.

Additionally, IOM Egypt screened 29 new cases from the Filipino community, which took place at Sacre Coeur Church in Alexandria. Most of these migrants lost their source of income at the onset of the pandemic, and struggle to find financial stability due to the lack of employment and government-imposed lockdowns to curb COVID-19.

IOM Egypt’s medical health team conducted an awareness raising session, which demonstrated protective hygiene habits and how to keep one safe during the pandemic, concluded with a distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (#PPE).

This initiative is part of IOM’s COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan developed to protect the most vulnerable migrants and in line with United Nations’ SDGs, namely Goal 1: End poverty and It is also in line with the objectives of Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS): Vision 2030, particularly its Social Justice Pillar.

For more information, please contact Wigdan Mohamad at IOM Egypt, Tel: +20 1012 428 527, Email: wimohamad@iom.int.