The Compost-Making Project

In the refugee camps where JEN works, adequate supply of water and a working sewage and garbage disposal system are essential in order to keep living spaces sanitary and preventing infection from spreading within the camp where the population density is high.

JEN is now struggling with the general problem of the improvement of water and sanitation as a control group of the water/sanitation fields in the 3～5th sections out of 12 areas in Zaatari refugee camp.

As a way to improve sanitation, JEN began experimenting with compost in early August in order to reduce household garbage. A family from each of these 3 areas where JEN is providing aid and support is taking part in this trial and learning about materials and methods most suited for making compost.

In order to create a compost bit, first one must hollow out the bottom of a trash can of family use, bury the can into the ground about 10 centimeters deep, put garbage or weed into it, and add water. Then, stir and expose them to air every day, and earth warms in the ground will eat and decompose them into compost in a few months. This is the first experience for these three families and they are practicing following the advice of JEN’s staff that visit once a week to monitor the progress.

A month has passed and differences among these families have been observed. Complaints of the smell and flies have been resolved by following the staff’s advice, and the refugees’ understanding about the condition such as where to set up the containers, what kind of material to put in, or the condition in stirring material are deepening gradually.

It is already the 3rd year since a man who is participating in this project from the 5th section, began to live in the refugee camp. He grows vegetables, edible herbs, flowers and the like in the lot of the camp, making the best use of his agricultural experience in a town in the south of Syria where he had lived before he moved to the camp.
He said that this project has greatly reduced the amount of garbage produced and added that he would continue composting and looks forward to using the compost in his vegetable garden in the lot.

Vegetation is sparse around Zaatari refugee camp situated in the desert, many of which are brownish due to he sand of the desert. We hope that his garden will create a small oasis in the minds of his neighbors.

Though this project is now at the testing stage, we are going to work so that this activity will spread and slowly but surely improve the livings conditions of the refugee camp.

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