Agility is working to support UNHCR and other NGOs around the world in their efforts to support refugees and internally displaced people in Ukraine, reaching 1,700 people to date:
- Agility held an internal fundraiser for UNHCR, in support of their Ukraine refugee response. UNHCR is working inside Ukraine as well as in neighbouring countries, providing critically needed relief items and protection services. All donated funds were matched by Agility.
- Agility supported the Children of War Foundation by donating the transportation of three pallets of medical and life support supplies from Los Angeles, California to Krakow, Poland. The supplies were taken to Lviv, Ukraine by ambulance, and distributed to beneficiaries.
- Working with Shipa Delivery, Agility transported two lorries of refugee items for the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) for onward delivery to Romania. All items were donated by the local community in Kuwait. The KRCS is delivering them by air to Romania where they will be distributed to refugees. The donations included food, medicine, and other items that are needed by refugees.
- Agility has also been working closely with the UN Global Logistics Cluster in their response to the crisis.
Five Years Supporting UNHCR from Agility on Vimeo.
With Agility’s support over the past five years, UNHCR was able to help people in Malaysia, Jordan, Lebanon and Uganda with basic needs, from livelihoods, education to health interventions.
Logistics company donations will fund refugee outreach center and job matching
KUWAIT – July 7, 2021 – Agility, a leading global logistics provider, has renewed its partnership agreement with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to help fund programmes supporting vulnerable refugees in Jordan and Malaysia.
The partnership renewal will support UNHCR’s outreach center activities in Johor, Malaysia, where refugees receive shelter, healthcare, education, skills training and other critical services. The center, which has been supported by Agility since 2020, will assist an estimated 12,000+ refugees, most of whom are Rohingya. Over 50 Malaysian community organizations operate out of the center, which Agility helps fund. The centers provide health, education and other services, in addition to registering and documenting refugees and teaching community leadership and other skills.
In Jordan, Agility’s donation will help UNHCR’s Job Matching programme, linking 180+ refugees with potential employers. Through this programme, UNHCR arranges interviews and places refugees in agriculture and construction jobs or other livelihood opportunities. UNHCR also provides mentorship and career advisory sessions as part of the programme.
Henadi Al-Saleh, Agility Chairperson, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has made an already challenging refugee situation worse. UNHCR has been active throughout the pandemic, working to help millions of refugees around the world, and we’re proud to help populations that are in need in Malaysia and Jordan. Agility has been a long-time supporter of UNHCR’s activities and programmes.”
Dr. Samer Haddadin, Representative of UNHCR Kuwait Office, said, “What was difficult before the pandemic has now worsened; refugees struggle to find steady employment, have limited access to health services and lack access to education. With Agility’s generous support, we will be able to help refugees in Jordan find jobs to support their families, and continue outreach activities in Malaysia, and strengthen community-based protection works by expanding community outreach services in carrying out extensive works on community development, comprehensive case management and strengthening peaceful co-existence.”
Globally, Agility helps those affected by natural disasters and other crises by providing supply chain expertise and resources in collaboration with commercial partners, relief groups and international institutions. In the past, Agility has supported UNHCR’s work in the Middle East, by assisting more than 490 Syrian refugee families (close to 2,500 individuals) through fundraising and donations. To find out more about Agility’s sustainability activities, visit http://sustainability.agility.com.
About Agility
Agility is a global logistics company with $5.3 billion in annual revenue and 26,000+ employees in more than 100 countries. It is one of the world’s top freight forwarding and contract logistics providers, and a leader and investor in technology to enhance supply chain efficiency. Agility is a pioneer in emerging markets and one of the largest private owners and developers of warehousing and light industrial parks in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Agility’s subsidiary companies offer fuel logistics, airport services, commercial real estate and facilities management, customs digitization, and remote infrastructure services.
For more information about Agility, visit Agility.com Twitter: twitter.com/agility LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agility YouTube: youtube.com/user/agilitycorp
About UNHCR
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organisation dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We lead international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. We deliver life-saving assistance, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place called home where they can build a better future. We also work to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality. We work in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.
For more information: Raefah Makki Head of Campaign and Advocacy Team, UNHCR [email protected]
Agility, a leading global logistics provider, has donated the transportation of nine tons of medical materials from China to Uganda for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in partnership with Qatar Airways Cargo.
The donation, through One Million Kilos, Chapter 1 of Qatar Airways Cargo’s sustainability program “WeQare” included more than 50,000 surgical kits to be used at hospitals and medical centers in Kampala, Uganda. In China, Agility’s teams received, inspected and packaged the materials for export. The cargo was flown to Kampala, Uganda, by Qatar Airways Cargo; upon arrival, Agility facilitated customs clearance and delivered the goods to UNHCR.
Michael Blaufuss, Agility SVP of Air Freight, said: “This project demonstrates the value that Agility brings to its customers and charity partners. Our teams were able to work quickly with UNHCR and its vendors to export the medical gowns during the holiday period, and get them to in Kampala. The donation of space by Qatar Airways Cargo was critical in getting the supplies to the destination quickly.”
‘1 Million Kilos’ is the first chapter of WeQare, where charities were able to use the services of Qatar Airways Cargo through freight forwarders and transport humanitarian aid and medical supplies all over the world, free of charge.
Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how essential air freight is in the time of crisis. Through WeQare’s One Million Kilos campaign, we are pleased to support Agility and UNHCR in transporting essential supplies to places where they are needed the most. “
Nader El Nakib, Head of Private Sector Partnership; Kuwait, said “This donation will be used by UNHCR’s medical teams to help displaced persons receive improved medical care, while protecting UNHCR’s frontline health workers. We are especially grateful that Agility and Qatar Airways were able to provide these international air cargo services during the global pandemic. This donation means UNHCR can redirect funding to support other beneficiaries in need of assistance.”
Agility has a globally recognized sustainability program, covering humanitarian logistics, community volunteerism, fair labor and environmental sustainability. Agility is part of the FTSE4Good Index Series, a resource used by investors to identify companies around the world with strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. Agility is also ranked in the top 10% of all companies and the top 4% of the logistics industry for overall sustainability performance by EcoVadis. Since 2006, Agility has responded to 75+ humanitarian crises since 2006 across the world.
When COVID-19 brought the world to a halt, Agility donated services to keep essential cargo moving.
Following the Port of Beirut explosion on August 4, 2020, Agility provided support to a number of humanitarian partners.
Agility and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced a partnership that will strengthen the delivery of essential services to refugees in Malaysia, establishing pilot programs in Johor and Penang to bring critically needed services to more than 12,000 refugees. The services include refugee card renewal, access to essential information related to protection, and to receive counseling on available services. The pilot program will help extend support to more than 12,000 refugees, most of them Rohingyas from Myanmar. With local engagement and support, Agility and UNHCR will eliminate the need for vulnerable refugees to travel 300+ kilometers from their homes to Kuala Lumpur to have access to vital services, including refugee card renewal.
Responding to the Taal Volcano eruption in January 2020, Agility worked closely with the Philippines Red Cross to provide relief goods to nearly 24,000 evacuees in the City of Batangas. Two 6-wheeler trucks were deployed for two weeks, distributing relief items to numerous evacuation centers across Batangas City.