Families who fled under threat of death from Mosul, Qaraqosh and other towns in Iraq left their homes with next to nothing. Arriving in Erbil often by foot after several days of walking, they set up camp wherever they could find room. And there most of them remain: in schools, churches, building sites, public parks, on the street.

Nabil Omeiesh works for Bible Society in Iraq. The organisation has an office in Erbil and Nabil is usually working to distribute the Bible, with Bible Society one of the only providers of Christian materials in the Iraq and the surrounding region.

But in the last two months, all Bible Society’s resources in Iraq have been devoted to providing food, water and basic supplies to the thousands of refugees living in the city.

“Most of the refugees have a sense of desperation. They feel like there’s no hope for them,” says Nabil. “We don’t know how long this is going to go on and when these people can return to their homes, or start new lives.”

The UN estimates 850,000 people have sought refuge in the Kurdistan region of Iraq since January. They’ve survived the heat and the dust in overcrowded, makeshift camps. But as winter approaches, and the continued march of Islamic State spawns more refugees, resources are stretched.

“Children are standing in line for up to two hours to get food,” says Nabil. He says parents are in despair, knowing they can’t provide for their children.

An Iraqi child with aid supplies for his family.