Ex-Gaza refugees in Jerash Camp
Health projects
Education projects
Relief and social services projects
The project, funded by the European Union, tackles long-term developmental and social needs of ex-Gaza Palestine refugees living in Jerash camp.
They are one of the most vulnerable groups in Jordan and suffer from high rates of unemployment, illiteracy and poverty. Living conditions are overcrowded, under-maintained and very cold in winter.
Ex-Gaza refugees are only entitled to hold a temporary Jordanian passport, not full citizenship, which limits their rights and contributes to their vulnerable living conditions. The project will:
- strengthen existing community organisations that help the most vulnerable
- improve the general living conditions in the camp.
The Jordan health programme is building three new buildings to expand health centres in Talbieh camp, Baqa’a and Husn. Projects are also underway to provide new equipment for several health centres in the field.
Other projects focus on improving child healthcare. For instance, mothers are given a maternal and child health handbook, which provides a comprehensive home-based record of their health status and that of their children.
UNRWA is committed to improving access to quality environments for students to learn in. As part of this, a new fully-equipped school with 24 classrooms is being built to replace the dilapidated buildings used by the 836 pupils at the two Zarqa boys’ schools, funded by Dubai Cares.
Similarly, a new purpose-built Zarqa Girls School has been built to replace two structurally unsafe schools. The project was funded by the US government.
Human rights education
In Jordan, tens of thousands of students between grades four and nine have benefited from this Agency-wide project, funded by the US government.
UNRWA schools in Jordan follow the national curriculum taught at government schools. This curriculum is enriched by the UNRWA project providing refugee students with early exposure to concepts of human rights.
Students explore issues they will have to deal with as adults and community members, through activities such as summer camps. Teaching staff also improve their understanding of human rights.
More about human rights promotion
Enhancing adolescent development and participation
As part of a larger project to create a safe and stimulating school environment, UNRWA worked in ten schools to improve the leadership skills of students and PTA members. The project helped them become more effective in inducing change in the school life and the community.
Plans are underway to scale up the project in coordination with UNICEF.
Scholarships
The Agency secured donor funding to give vulnerable students the opportunity to attend university in Jordan:
- Four-year scholarships for five students – funded by Japan, a long-term supporter of the scholarship programme.
- Scholarships for financially disadvantaged students who excel academically and would not have access to higher education otherwise – funded by KRSF.
- Scholarships for poor Palestine refugees in Jordan.
Enhancing adolescent development and participation
This UNICEF-funded project increased UNRWA staff’s capacity to include adolescents’ development and participation in camp programmes. The project involved an adolescent training programme, adolescent-led projects and psychosocial support.
Palestine refugees from Iraq
Following the American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, Jordan issued a royal decree allowing Palestinian refugees displaced from their homes in Iraq to move into Jordan. UNRWA is distributing cash and in-kind assistance on a quarterly basis to these refugees. UNHCR provided $47,241 to support the 396 refugees from 90 families.
Psychosocial support
This UNICEF-funded project is building more effective psycho-social support structures and highlighting the role that violence plays in affecting entire communities’ mental health. It particularly focuses attention on violence against children and how UNRWA can provide more effective psychosocial support groups, by developing a model children/women’s support group. Legal Advice Bureaus are also getting more actively involved in responding to refugees’ legal needs.
Community-based organisations
Jerash camp: Soup kitchen for elderly people; playground renovation; new showers and baths in women’s programme centre.
A number of UNICEF-funded projects in women’s programme centres:
- Teaching parents how to better care for young children
- Talbieh, Baqa’a, and Jerash - developing career preparedness for youth
- ANC, Marka, Jerash and Aqaba – Women’s legal rights and strengthening Legal Advice Bureaus
- Baqa’a – women’s and girls rights, funded by Canadian International Development Agency
- Aqaba – women’s legal rights, funded by Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (Canadian Embassy)
- Zarqa – fulfilling Palestinian adolescents’ refugee rights, operating in 14 branches.
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