Importance of raising refugees’ awareness on water, sanitation, and hygiene in Zaatari camp

In Zaatari refugee camp, Jordanian government, International Organizations, and NGOs are cooperate together to improve the environment of Syrian refugees every day. However, it is still not enough to meet all the needs of refugees in many areas because of the exponential increase of the camp population.
One of the areas which are affected by this population increase the most is Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH). It is important and urgent challenge for all of us to use and maintain the water facilities properly by refugees themselves to keep healthy and safe life with limited resource and services in the camp.

JEN works on the establishment of WASH committees of Syrian refugees in each zone of the Zaatari camp. The committee is the representative of WASH issue in each zone and many of the members are formally have many experiences in WASH such as ex-administrative officers, engineers, plumbers, or teachers. They started to work together to improve their WASH environment of their zone in the camp.
Currently, there are 2 WASH committees, and will be established other 2 WASH committees soon.

Before summer comes, it is important to raise refugees’ awareness addition to instructing proper use of WASH facilities and importance of the maintenance. It is because summer is the season when water related disease easily occurs and spread.

Furthermore, Jordan is the country has lack of water especially in summer. So it is also vital to advocate the sense of water saving.

Staffs who received hygiene education training support the establishment of WASH committees in the camp. In the future, it is expected to the refugees themselves to be the center of discussion on WASH issues.