Jerash camp was set up as an "emergency" camp in 1968 for 11,500 Palestine refugees and displaced persons who left the Gaza Strip as a result of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It is known locally as Gaza camp.
The camp covers an area of 0.75 square kilometres and is situated 5km from the famous Roman ruins of Jerash. After 1967 UNRWA quickly set up facilities for food aid, sanitation, health services and education.
In order to withstand the harsh winters, the original 1,500 tents were replaced with prefabricated shelters.
Between 1968 and 1971, 2,000 shelters were built with support from emergency donations. Over the years, many of the camp’s inhabitants have replaced the prefabs with more durable concrete shelters. Many roofs are still made of corrugated zinc and asbestos sheets, which can cause diseases such as cancer.
Statistics
- More than 24,000 registered refugees
- One women’s programme centre
- Four schools in two double-shift buildings
- One food distribution centre
- One health centre
- One community-based rehabilitation centre
- One camp development office
- Demographic profile
Programmes in the camp
Major problems
- Poverty
- Overcrowded
- High unemployment
- Around 3 in 4 shelters are not suitable for accommodation because of structural problems.
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