Big Give: One donation, double the impact for refugees this winter

Conflict and persecution around the globe continue to uproot lives, forcing thousands to flee their homes. For many displaced families, winter is yet another threat to overcome. As temperatures plummet around the world, the need for humanitarian support is rapidly rising. We urgently need your help to provide lifesaving support at scale.   

Given the urgency for funds, we are delighted to be participating in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2025, the UK’s largest match funding campaign, maximising your impact this winter.

From 2nd December – 9th December, every £1 you donate will be doubled, up to a total of £43,750.

During winter, many refugee families have no choice but to endure freezing temperatures with little to protect them. Help UNHCR go further, faster. Donate today and double your impact.

By partnering with UK for UNHCR this winter, you will help teams on the ground to repair homes that have been bombed; insulate houses to keep families warm; distribute blankets and winter clothes to children and older people; provide solar lamps to bring light in the darkest months; and deliver cash assistance to allow families to buy medicine, food and other essentials.

Our colleague at UNHCR Jordan, Rozhan Gawdawn, spoke to us recently about the incredible impact your support could have for refugee communities:

“I was just a year old when my mother carried me across snow-covered mountains, fleeing conflict in Iraq. It was a 20-day journey on foot in 1991 before reaching safety in Türkiye. But when we arrived, there were no tents and no shelter from the freezing wind. I’ll never forget the stories my mother tells of that first winter. 

“Today, I work with refugee families who are experiencing the same fear, the same cold. 

“In Jordan alone, we support over 530,000 refugees, mostly from Syria, many of whom live in shelters that were never meant to withstand over a decade of displacement.

“In Jordan’s refugee camps, Za’atari and Azraq, access to heating, electricity and health care is at risk. Without funding, solar plants may go dark, endangering children, women and older people – especially those needing lifesaving medication or maternal care. While in communities, refugees struggle to pay rent, buy food, afford medical care and heating in the freezing cold.

“Refugees live a difficult life in Jordan, dealing with piling debts, evictions, eating fewer meals and the rise of child labour. In light of the funding cuts, more than 469,000 refugees won’t be able to access UNHCR’s helpline. 106,000 people will not receive support to voluntary return to Syria, and 101,600 refugees will not be able to access the health services they direly need. 

“I know what it means to be cold, afraid and uncertain of what tomorrow will bring. But I also know what your support can provide.”

A donation to UK for UNHCR’s match-funded campaign will go even further, helping forcibly displaced families to meet their urgent needs – families like Khaled’s.  

Khaled is originally from Hama in Syria, but he has been living in Jordan with his family since 2013. Before the war, he has fond memories of winters filled with warmth and laughter, but in Jordan, Khaled struggles to look after his six daughters. Three of his daughters have disabilities, and they are often unwell. Monthly assistance from UNHCR helps his family stay warm and safe. This is his story:

Your support will mean families like Khaled’s are not left to face the bitter cold alone. UNHCR is prioritising winter essentials to Afghanistan, Ukraine and beyond, providing not only warmth, but hope for the future. Donate today to double your impact for refugees this winter.