Helping with the Migration Crisis

By Larry Kilman

Friday, 18 November 2016

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is at the forefront of responses to the current refugee crisis, but needless to say it can’t do all the work by itself.

In the agency’s own words:

“In trying to help and protect some of the world’s most vulnerable people in so many different places and types of environment, UNHCR must purchase goods and services worldwide.” This includes hiring “consultants and specialized companies and their staffs for projects.”

Unfortunately, the UNHCR’s Requests for Proposals page is somewhat buried in its website, but you can find it here. At the moment, the only tender open for public bids is for providing portable stoves, but the list of closed tenders gives a good idea what UNHCR is looking for from NGOs.

Among the big issues is education, for adult refugees but also for their children, whose schooling has been interrupted by the upheaval, with potential long-term consequences.

Ahmed Samy Lotf, who interned with the humanitarian organization ERCI (Emergency Response Centre International) in Greece as part of his Master’s program at AGS, reports that the continuing education of children in temporary refugee camps was among the primary concerns of their parents. Ahmed worked with ERCI in an educational program in Thessaloniki and also on the island of Lesbos, where he participated in a special rescue program.

It’s worthwhile for NGOs to keep an eye on UNHCR requests for proposals. Also those of the International Rescue Committee, UNDP and FundsforNGOs, among others of course.

(Photo: Courtesy of ERCI)