A Powell River mother is asking area knitters to help the United Nations ease a humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.
Kathie Mack’s daughter Terra works for the United Nations and has been stationed in Lebanon for the past year to help in the refugee crisis. In a recent conversation, Mack asked her daughter if there was anything that could be done to help and she was told the refugees’ babies need toques.
“She has been working with a lot of women and children who have been fleeing with only the clothes on their back,” said Mack. Realizing she could only knit at a certain rate, Mack thought this might be a project for which she could tap into Powell River’s community’s spirit for additional help.
“So far we’re just asking people to work individually, but if people want to coordinate and get together, that would be fun,” she said. “During the holidays this might be a nice little family project.”
Roisin Sheehy-Culhane, owner of Great Balls of Wool, said she has knitting space at the back of her shop and she could help knitters with patterns and coaching for those who may be a little rusty.
More than 838,000 Syrian refugees living in Lebanon, most without shelter, are facing an onslaught of cold weather as a massive winter storm batters the Middle East with rain and snowfall at higher altitudes.
United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) and other non-governmental aid agencies in support of the Lebanese Army, have been stepping up their efforts to hand out emergency shelter kits to thousands of refugees living in eastern Lebanon since the winter weather hit December 10.
“For hundreds of thousands of refugees in Lebanon, as well as those in neighbouring countries and the displaced in Syria, a storm like this creates immense additional hardship and suffering,” said Amin Awad, director of UNHCR’s Middle East and North Africa bureau in a media release.
Mack plans to send one box of hats for each week in January starting on Tuesday, January 7, and Terra will deliver them to the babies.
“The demand on the other side is endless,” said Mack. “Whatever we get will go there. Keep knitting.”
People have already started dropping off hats for the babies as Mack has told her friends about the situation. All help is welcomed and knitters can drop the hats off at Coast Realty Group (4766 Joyce Avenue).
