What’s winter really like in different countries around the world?
Countries like Turkey, Yemen and Pakistan are hardly known for their cold weather… but whilst their summers may be blisteringly hot, the people who live there often find it much more difficult to cope through the winter.
Across the globe, winter is a dangerous time of the year. A rigorous study, analysing 74 million deaths from 384 locations across the world, found that cold weather killed 20 times more people than hot weather did in the period between 1985 and 2012.
In countries like Turkey, temperatures plummet below zero degrees at night. Many houses and shelters are made with the heat of summer in mind, and that means that the most vulnerable people often find themselves unprotected against the bitter cold.
You can donate blankets for the homeless, winter clothes for refugees and essential heating and shelter for families living in poverty through Penny Appeal’s winter appeal.
Want to find out more about what winter’s like in the countries we work in? We’ve put together a guide to put you in the shoes of the people we help and serve.
Winter in Syria
Average winter temperatures: -3°C to 18°C
Coldest recently recorded temperature in Syria: -11.1°C (Damascus, Jan 2019)
The average temperature in Syria for most of the year is above 20°C, meaning that the drop to temperatures below freezing during the winter (Dec-Feb) can be a deadly shock.
There are 6.5 million internally displaced Syrians living in camps, makeshift shelters and unsuitable housing. These people have been forced to flee their homes and are struggling to survive in a nation still very much at war.
Winters are especially harsh in places like Aleppo, Damascus and northern Syria, which is alarming given the current military offensive in that region. Snow is common in mountainous areas, and Syria is known for its cold rain over the winter – this is especially difficult for displaced people living in tents to cope with.
Winter in Yemen
Average winter temperature: 15°C
Coldest recently recorded temperature in Yemen: 0°C (Sanaa, Dec 2018)
Yemen is facing the worst famine the world has seen this century. According to the UN, 85,000 children under the age of 5 have died of starvation in the last 3 years. That’s one child every 10 minutes.
The widespread malnutrition which Yemeni people face is exacerbated by colder temperatures than they are used to. People are starving; they don’t have the strength to fight the cold, and they risk falling dangerously ill or dying this winter.
There is hope, though. Asmahn, a mother in Yemen who we supported last winter, said, “I used to have to ask neighbours for something – anything – to eat, but thanks to Penny Appeal, me and my children can sleep happy and warm.”
Winter in Turkey
Average winter temperatures: -3°C
Coldest recorded temperature in Turkey: -46.4°C (Çaldıran, Jan 1990)
Turkey is home to the largest refugee population in the world, with nearl4 million refugees finding shelter there – mostly Syrians who have fled the 8-year-long war.
With the average temperature being below freezing, and significant drops in temperature at night, this harsh winter weather is life threatening for millions of refugees living in unsuitable housing, shelters and tents.
Many refugees are unable to work, or are working illegally for a pittance, making it extremely difficult to provide even the basics to their families. One mother, Aaliyah, told Penny Appeal, “Without your help, I wouldn’t know how to cope through the winter.”
Winter in Pakistan
Average winter temperatures: -2°C to 12°C
Coldest recorded temperature in Pakistan: -24°C (Skardu, Jan 1995)
In Pakistan, temperatures drop below freezing at night during the winter months (December to February). Snow is also common in many areas, especially in poor mountainous villages.
Over 26 million people live in poverty in Pakistan, and these people suffer greatly in the sub-zero temperatures. “We cannot buy warm clothes or shoes for our children… I worry about my son Hamza, because he is disabled and he suffers the most in the harsh winters.” This was what Muhammad told us last winter.
Thanks to the generosity of our amazing donors, we were able to relieve the hardships that Muhammad and his son Hamza go through, by giving them warm winter clothes, blankets and food.
Winter in Lebanon
Average winter temperatures: 5°C to 10°C
Coldest recently recorded temperature in Lebanon: 0°C (Beirut, March 2019)
Winter in Lebanon can be extremely harsh, and it has devastating outcomes for the 1.5 million Syrian refugees who live there, often in refugee camps.
Last winter, Storm Norma hit Lebanon with heavy winds, rain and snow, severely affecting over 11,300 Syrian refugees in 360 refugee camps. Four Syrian refugees tragically lost their lives as a result of the storm.
Many Syrian refugees live in tents, which means it’s extremely hard to stay warm when the temperature drops. Penny Appeal are delivering heaters, warm clothes and blankets to Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Winter in Palestine
Average winter temperatures: 6°C to 11°C
Coldest recorded temperature in Palestine: Exact number unknown, but temperatures are known to drop below 0°C in certain areas
1 in 4 Palestinians have been forced to flee their homes. That means that millions of Palestinian families live in makeshift shelters and slums, with many still living in the rubble of their destroyed homes.
These shelters simply can’t keep out the freezing cold temperatures which have been recorded in Palestine. It gets especially cold at night – without heating or proper warm clothes and blankets, millions of Palestinians are suffering this winter.
Winter in the UK
Average winter temperatures: 4°C to 6°C
Coldest recorded temperature in the UK: -27.2°C (Braemar, Dec 1995)
It is estimated that over 300,000 people are homeless right here in the UK; that’s almost 1 in every 200 people. We all know how cold it gets over winter here in the UK. Freezing rains, gloomy skies and icy temperatures take their toll on us all.
But for homeless people, it becomes a fight for survival. At least 448 homeless people died in 2017. Many lost their lives as a direct result of sleeping rough over the winter months. Penny Appeal are supporting the homeless here in the UK this winter, providing them with food, comfort and warm essentials.
Although the situations may be very different across the world, winter poses a serious threat to the most vulnerable people in every society. Shivering, suffering and struggling to make it through the winter; that’s no way to live.
We believe everyone deserves to live a life of dignity and joy, but people simply cannot do that if they’re constantly worried that their children are going to fall ill because they don’t have heating or winter coats.
Penny Appeal and our amazing partners are iSyria, Yemen, Palestine, Turkey, Lebanon, Pakistan and here in the UK right now, providing warm clothing, food packs, blankets, heaters and essentials to those who are in danger this winter. Help us keep people wrapped in dignity and warmth this winter, by volunteering or donating to our winter appeal today.
TUESDAY 26 NOV 2019