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DOMIZ CAMP, Kurdistan Region – Syrian Kurdish refugees living in camps in the Kurdistan Region were touched by a visit from UNHCR special envoy and Hollywood star Angelina Jolie this weekend.
Ronya Mizgin is a single mother of five children. She said she and Jolie bonded as mothers.
“She asked me: ‘How do you raise your children? How do you make ends meet?’ I told her that I do not have anyone here, no one helps us. Even if God helps up, two of my children are ill. She prayed that God may help my children,” recalled Mizgin.
Halima Abdullah and her sisters impressed Jolie with their determination to continue their studies.
“She was happy to see us pursuing our study despite our hardship,” said Abdullah.
Visits from officials and celebrities strengthen the hope of families living in refugee and IDP camps because even if they don’t see any immediate result, they still feel the world can hear their voice.
Jolie visited Domiz camp on Sunday after touring West Mosul the day before in her role as special envoy for the UN’s refugee agency.
The Kurdistan Region is hosting 1.35 million refugees and IDPs.
Jolie thanked the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for their continued support of these vulnerable populations in a meeting with KRG spokesperson and chief of staff to the prime minister Safeen Dizayee, according to a government statement.
This was Jolie's fifth visit to Iraq in her UN role and third time in Domiz camp.
Ronya Mizgin is a single mother of five children. She said she and Jolie bonded as mothers.
“She asked me: ‘How do you raise your children? How do you make ends meet?’ I told her that I do not have anyone here, no one helps us. Even if God helps up, two of my children are ill. She prayed that God may help my children,” recalled Mizgin.
Halima Abdullah and her sisters impressed Jolie with their determination to continue their studies.
“She was happy to see us pursuing our study despite our hardship,” said Abdullah.
Visits from officials and celebrities strengthen the hope of families living in refugee and IDP camps because even if they don’t see any immediate result, they still feel the world can hear their voice.
Jolie visited Domiz camp on Sunday after touring West Mosul the day before in her role as special envoy for the UN’s refugee agency.
The Kurdistan Region is hosting 1.35 million refugees and IDPs.
Jolie thanked the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for their continued support of these vulnerable populations in a meeting with KRG spokesperson and chief of staff to the prime minister Safeen Dizayee, according to a government statement.
This was Jolie's fifth visit to Iraq in her UN role and third time in Domiz camp.
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