Erbil – New projects in support of Christians persecuted by ISIS have been approved by the Foundation “Aiuto alla Chiesa che Soffre” (ACS). The structure will support 19 additional emergency contributions in favor of Iraqi and Syrian refugees and their needs in terms of food, medicine, shelter and spiritual assistance. With these new contributions, the support of the Papal Foundation in Iraq from June 2014 to date rises to over €15.1 million, while the contributions sent to the Syrian population, from March 2011 until now, amounts to €9.6 million. “In countries like Iraq – said Padre Andrzej Halemba, ACS responsible for the Middle East – ours is the only support that Christians receive. For centuries, our brothers in faith have contributed significantly to the development of Middle Eastern societies and now, in their moment of greatest need, they have been abandoned.” The new projects in Iraq include the construction of a kindergarten for 125 young Christian refugees in Baghdad. Back in 2014, ACS had donated 8 prefabricated schools to Erbil, Kurdistan, where now 7.000 children study. Also in Erbil, the new contributions will cover the costs of new Water and Sanitation services for 175 families of the Father Werenfried village, which takes its name from the ACS founder and consists of approximately 200 prefabricated structures offered last year by the Foundation to the Christians who fled ISIS. ACS will also provide financial assistance to 182 Christian families that fled in the diocese of Kirkuk and Sulaimanya. The 135 families of the Virgin Mary refugee camp in Baghdad, to which the foundation has just donated a chapel-container, will also receive water, food and electricity supplies. (9Colonne)
