GENEVA, April 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
The Essam and Dalal Obaid Foundation (EDOF) has announced that it is forming a partnership with FreezMate, a company that produces heated and cooling mattresses, in order to provide the mattresses to refugees from the Syrian civil war. The Syrian crisis has left over 3 million refugees in neighboring countries and over 6 million displaced people inside Syria itself. The partnership will make it possible for Freezmate to send its heated and cooling mattresses to the refugees so they can weather the hardships of winter.
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"The Syrian conflict has produced one of the greatest humanitarian problems of our age," says EDOF CEO, Dr. Nawaf Obaid. "We believe something must be done. This partnership with Freezmate will mean we can be instrumental in helping refugees survive what is likely to be very difficult winter and summer seasons."
FreezMate was founded by businessman, Tarek Al Emam. While its goal is to be able to provide the mattresses to refugees around the world, the organization is currently focused on the urgency of what is happening in Syria. As Mr. Al Emam says, "Refugees face such a daunting number of difficulties, from finding food and adequate housing to receiving medical care and avoiding further conflict. We feel that sending heated/cooling mattresses is not only one way to offer direct help, but we also hope to use the news about the shipment of the mattresses to highlight the fact that more help is needed."
The Freezmate mattresses are designed to be heated in microwaves, but as Mr. Al Emam points out, "There are no microwaves in the refugee camps. Therefore, the mattresses will come with instructions on how to heat them in boiling water. Once that is done, they will provide warmth for several hours, and moreover it is made of soft material that can be used as a comfortable sleeping mattress." Freezmate is also developing solar ovens that will make heating the mattresses even easier.
"We are very excited to be partnering with Freezmate," says EDOF's founder, Tarek Obaid. "EDOF has been eager to help with the situation in Syria. Providing these heated/cooling mattresses is a very tangible solution to a very real problem. Millions of people face a difficult winter, and being able to play a role in their attempts for essential warmth is the perfect extension of EDOF's mission of helping organizations that help people in crisis."
Mr. Al Emam is confident that the mattresses will be highly useful to the refugees. "Our manufacturing development process involves lots of trial and error. In fact, we have undertaken at least 20 usage experiments to make sure the materials for the mattresses are just right. Thus, I am certain these heated/cooling mattresses will provide a great deal of assistance in helping the refugees in their struggle to secure a basic human need - warmth in winter."
More information about EDOF: www.edof.org
More information about Freezmate: www.freezmate.com
Contact
Christelle Marquette
+41-22-818-61-20
christelle.marquette@edof.org
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