Erbil -- Since the Islamic State began its onslaught on Iraq in June, Kurdistan has taken in more than one and a half million displaced people. This is on top of an estimated 250,000 Syrian refugees who have fled to the autonomous region in northern Iraq. Many have been placed in purpose-built refugee camps but the huge numbers mean thousands of others are forced to live in inadequate, makeshift shelters. The Ankawa mall, located in a Christian suburb of Erbil, was originally intended to house high-end stores to cater to Kurdistan's growing consumer economy. But refugees have been taking shelter in the half-built shopping mall in the outskirts of the city. In August, in fear of Islamic State fighters, Habiba Benham fled her hometown of Qaraqosh, seeking refuge in the relative safety of Kurdish-controlled Erbil. She has been living in Ankawa mall, where she shares a small room with six other members of her family. "We're entering our fourth month here. The electricity is bad, there's no hot water, and my grandchildren aren't going to school," she said. "It would be better for us to go back home, even if it means living in a tent." About 1,600 other Christian refugees have also made the mall their makeshift home. Dr Viyan Yusef is one of the aid workers who have been trying to improve the lives of residents in the mall. He runs the Kurdistan Medical Charity Foundation, which provides basic medical care for refugees. But the problems can sometimes seem insurmountable. "There's a lack of hygiene so there are a lot of cases of diarrhoea and renal problems due to dirty water," he said. "The Kurdish government has provided some medication and we're grateful for their support but Kurdistan is overstretched because there are so many displaced people in the region." The psychological wounds of homelessness and poverty cut even deeper, according to a committee member of a church that helps to run the camp. "The people here have lost their homes and their jobs, and many of the families don't have any income at all. They are in a very bad psychological situation," said Ibrahim Shahib. "Our history and our culture have been eradicated. We are going to have to begin again from zero."