The rapid increase of refugees from Syria due to the war will continue. Qandil is at the moment about to provide better living conditions for tens of thousands of the refugees that has now reached more than 150,000 in Iraq. Beside’s Domiz camp that now hosts more than 55,000 refugees, we are involved in other new camps, for example Darash Shakran, where we will provide permanent tents and sanitary systems, like toilettes and showers.
Darash Shakran camp in Erbil Governorate was originally planned to have a 10,000 person capacity but will be increased to eventually accommodate 20,000 persons. Qandil provides a variety of services in a number of refugee camps at the moment . The camps we primarily work in are Makhmour, Domiz, Barika, and we are also involved in new camps that are being set up, for example Kawergosk, in Erbil Governorate. Qandil runs the major registration facility PARC in Erbil where refugees are registered in order to provide the best possible assistance for the families.

The total number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) and refugees is reaching more than 750,000 at the moment and the individuals at risk is projected to be three times that amount. Qandil has been involved in a number of projects in the center of Iraq like Diyala and Baghdad where we provide shelters and small permanent houses for IDP’s and refugees. In addition Qandil run’s a so called work for cash (WASH) for more than 2,000 people on a daily basis. We also run education programs in some of the camps. These programs are established in order to activate the refugees in a sustainable way and provide a base for entering the local labor market and in the long run be less dependent on aid.
Qandil has engaged Ms. Carina Hedenberg as Senior Operations Manager(SOM) for Qandil. She has worked previously with Qandil as Secretary General from 2011-2012. The Board of Directors has decided that the new position will replace the previous Secretary General position. The reason is that Qandil is now in a more operative phase under the leadership of Ms. Hedenberg, where we will reorganize the management structure and administration at our country office in Erbil.
The administrational changes have been planned for some time, partly because we are expecting an increased number of refugees due to the current and ongoing situation in Syria but also due to the increasing unrest in some parts of Iraq.
Qandil has more than 22 years of experience on the ground and are now investing in the future. We will at the end of 2013 be in the forefront of INGO’s operating in the area. Ms. Carina Hedenberg started her employment the 19th of July 2013. She is based in Stockholm but is currently supervising the programs mentioned above on the ground in Iraq.
The Board of Directors welcomes four new member organizations:
IS – The International Solidarity Organization
KFF – The Qurdish Peoples Front
UÖ Bro – The Falcon Movement of Bro
EKSS – Syrian Qurdish Organization
Previous member organizations are:
Irakiska Riksförbundet Sverige, IRS, Federation of Iraqi Associations in Sweden, FIAS
Svenska Kommittéen för Kurdernas Mänskliga Rättigheter, Swedish Committee for the Humna Rights of Kurds, SKKMR
Kurdistans Kvinnoförbund i Sverige – Kurdistan Women’s Federation in Sweden
Kurdiska Riksförbundet – National Kurdish federation – KRF
Individuell Människohjälp, IM
Uppsala Kommittéen för Kurdernas Mänskliga Rättigheter, Uppsala Committee for the Human Rights of Kurdfs, UKMR

Due to the internal conflict in Syria, Iraqi Kurdistan has witnessed a rapidly increasing influx of refugees. Qandil, in close cooperation with the UNHCR, and the local authorities has been providing humanitarian assistance to new Syrian arrivals in Domiz Camp close to Syrian border since the beginning of the refugee influx. Today the camp is hosting 35,000 people and the refugees are still increasing. Qandil is an important partner for UNHCR and Qandil has a critical role to provide help to the refugees when they arrive. Read more…