“I’ve never had a jacket this good before!” said Jamal. The 10-year-old boy in Lebanon cradled a Canada Goose parka. It was soft, sturdy and the deep navy of night sky over the Bekaa Valley.
Jamal’s eyes sparkled as he touched the smooth fabric. He imagined how different this winter would be. He would feel courageous. Cared for. Included.
“I used to stay inside during recess breaks because I was too cold,” he said. “But now, I can play with my friends again. When the snow comes, I won’t be scared of it anymore. I’ll just put on my jacket and walk through it like a superhero!”
Winter without warm clothes
In Canada, products are practically part of the national identity. Defiantly, we head to outdoor rinks in sub-zero temperatures. Stoically, we build snow families in the midst of blizzards.
None of this would be possible without warm winter outerwear. Inspired by Arctic survival gear, Canada Goose makes some of the best. And this winter, their products are protecting children in Lebanon and Afghanistan.
When cold is life-threatening
Winter temperatures in Lebanon can plunge to -5 degrees Celsius. In Afghanistan, it’s more like -34 degrees.
In 2023, an earthquake rocking Afghanistan’s Herat Province destroyed thousands of homes, forcing countless families into tents for the next two winters.
Imagine children like Jamal trudging two hours each way to the closest school, from remote mountain villages. It’s no fun outside when your teeth are chattering, when you’re afraid for your life.
Without warm clothing, children and families can die in cold temperatures. In Afghanistan,
more than 160 people succumbed to hypothermia in January of 2023 alone.
In addition, thousands of children suffer from malnutrition in both Lebanon and Afghanistan—which can cause them to be cold most of the time. Without enough calories, their bodies can’t generate warmth.
This photo was taken in 2015, a few years after Syrians began pouring into Lebanon to flee violent conflict. Most had just the clothes on their backs, the shoes on their feet. Then winter came.
The cold can also keep children home from school. Missing three months of learning can put them far behind, prompting many to drop out. This can affect their futures forever, leading to lifelong lower income.
It’s concerns like these that prompted Canada Goose to partner with us in donating more than $1 million in warm winter apparel to children and families in some of the coldest regions of Lebanon and Afghanistan.
In both countries, armed conflict, economic crisis and food insecurity have displaced thousands of people from their homes. They live rough, often in makeshift shelters. The insulation is inadequate. Central heating is just a dream.
World Vision Canada’s President and CEO, Michael Messenger, has seen firsthand how children suffer through months of ruthless cold.
“We so greatly appreciate this generous donation from Canada Goose,” he says, with a smile. “This outerwear will bring hope and comfort to some of the world’s most vulnerable children and their communities.”
With love from Canada
Founded in a small Toronto warehouse nearly 70 years ago, Canada Goose is recognized internationally as a leading manufacturer of performance outerwear.
“We’re proud to partner with World Vision, an organization responding to emergency situations worldwide, providing protection to those who need them most,” says Carrie Baker, President, Brand & Commercial at Canada Goose.
In his Bekaa Valley mountain home Jamal seems to be feeling the love from Canada.
“This jacket feels like a hug,” he says. Each night, he carefully hangs the parka by his bed—eager to wear it to school again the next day.