Saudi Campaign for Syria donates supplies to Palestine refugees in Jordan fleeing Syria

19 November 2012
Amman, Jordan

The Saudi National Campaign for the Support of Brothers in Syria has donated emergency food and non-food items to 400 of the most vulnerable Palestine refugee families who have fled to neighbouring Jordan from the raging violence in Syria.

The very generous donation, composed of 400 boxes of food rations (including basic foodstuffs such as rice, sugar, flour, milk powder, and oil), 400 children’s kits (including baby milk and baby food), 400 hygiene kits, and 420 cartons of dates, were distributed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to the most vulnerable Palestine refugee families currently residing in Irbid, Zarka, South Amman and North Amman.

"This generous support from the Saudi National Campaign is highly appreciated", said Marta Colburn, Director of UNRWA Operations in Jordan. "I am certain that the beneficiaries receiving such essential items will be humbly thankful. This donation is coming at a very critical time with the recent fuel cost increase and the impact this will have on the cost of living, especially with the winter having arrived."

Background information

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance.

Financial support to UNRWA has not kept pace with an increased demand for services caused by growing numbers of registered refugees, expanding need, and deepening poverty. As a result, the Agency's General Fund, supporting UNRWA’s core activities and 97 per cent reliant on voluntary contributions, has begun each year with a large projected deficit. Currently the budget deficit stands at USD 37 million.

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