Jordan, April - May 2018
Das Together Human-Team, begleitet von der freien Journalistin Sira Huwiler, besuchte am 30. April 2018 das berühmte Camp Za’atari im Norden Jordaniens. Zum Besuch gehörten ein Security Briefing, die Verteilung der Brotrationen durch das World Food Programm, ein Interviewtermin bei einer Familie in ihrem Wohncontainer und ein Besuch bei einem Early Learning Center unserer Partnerorganisation Save the Children, wo junge Kinder pädagogisch und – falls nötig – auch psychologisch betreut werden.
We brought 175 handmade knitted dolls, 50 Hacky Sacks and previously purchased toys worth about 250 Jordan dinars (about CHF 353) from our community. The children and also the caretakers on site were very happy about the things.
It was a very impressive visit, which showed us many challenges that the camp management, the nearly 80'000 inhabitants and all helpers face. Nevertheless, the Jordanian state must also be praised for the fact that, together with UNHCR, various NGOs and other states, it has succeeded in developing a camp where people can live in relative security and dignity.
The next day we visited the Happiness Again in Amman. The trauma centre, which we are already supporting financially in its 4th year, has once again made an extremely professional impression. Currently 300 children are treated psychologically every year. These are often severely traumatised children who have had to experience terrible things and show symptoms such as speech disorders and refusal to speak, aggression disorders or other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
In addition, Happiness Again does much more: Through the children they get to the families, whom they support with advice and action in many different ways. For example, they support the families in their struggle with the authorities for their papers. Now they also offer a sewing course, the goods of which are sold and thus co-finance the centre again.
Here we brought our annual cash donation (CHF 3'000.-) plus drawing material for the painting therapy as well as the remaining 75 knitting dolls.
Afterwards we drove to the family of a child. The family moved out of a camp illegally and now lives without papers and largely without any help under miserable circumstances. Hundreds of thousands are in the same situation. We learned what their most urgent problems are and how they got into this terrible situation.
In addition to these extensive visits, we had meetings with representatives of Swiss churches and members of the board of Syrian Refugee Crisis, a conversation with the Jordanian Red Cross and a meeting with the SDC in Amman.
Während der ganzen Reise sammelten wir Zeichnungen der Kinder, machten Porträtfotos und führten Kurzinterviews. Für unser Projekt „Nach vorne blicken“ konnten wir viel interessantes Material zusammentragen. Die Journalistin hat eine grosse Reportage im deutschen Südkurier veröffentlicht.
Project details
Project goal
Creating an exhibition in Switzerland, visiting and financially supporting the Trauma Center Happiness Aain Center in Amman, collecting children's drawings, visiting a refugee camp. We are currently working on fundraising and the creation of the exhibition. More to come!
Resources
250 knitted dolls for children, Hacky sacks, toys, money from crowdsourcing at 100days
Project duration
Journey to Jordan: end of April - middle of May 2018
Partner
Happiness Again Center, Syrian refugee crisis, Save the Children
Contact
Andrea Marti
Mail: andrea.marti(at)togetherhuman.org
Location
Jordan