First Visit to Azraq Refugee Camp

As September comes to an end, weather is cooling down in mornings and evenings and Jordan is starting to see a hint of autumn.  While this is a welcome change for us, the transition to winter is a difficult time for many refugees, especially for those who recently arrived to Jordan without adequate preparation for the cold weather.

In order to assist the refugees in overcoming the winter months, many agencies provide relief items deigned to keep people warm, such as blankets, heaters, and clothes, as part of UNHCR’s coordinated winterization program.  As part of this program, JEN has donated winter clothes received from various entities, with main contribution from UNIQLO, a Japanese retailing company, to residents in the Za’atari refugee camp during winter of 2012 and 2013.  In total, JEN has distributed a clothing packet, which includes a jacket, a top and a pair of trousers to over 150,000 individuals.  JEN’s clothes distribution program is very well received by the refugees as they provide warmth in their harsh conditions living in tents and caravans.

As JEN considers organizing a clothes distribution project in Azraq Camp, JEN staff members made their first visit to the camp in September 2014.

Here is a look at Azraq Camp:

[Rows of transitional shelters in Azraq Refugee Camp.]

Azraq Camp was opened on 30 April 2014 to accommodate additional Syrian refugees entering Jordan　as Za’atari Camp had reached its capacity.  According to UNHCR official data, Azraq camp　spans across 15 square kilometers, hosts over 14,400 refugees, and it has the capacity to accommodate up to 130,000 refugees.  Azraq camp is located approximately 90 km from Amman, in the middle of the desert, making the living conditions in the camp difficult during harsh weather conditions.  During the time of JEN’s visit, there was strong wind blowing constantly and the sun beating down on an area that has very minimal shading.

Azraq was designed based on the various lessons learned from Za’atari refugee camp.  One of the significant differences between the two camps is that Azraq Camp has ready-made transitional shelters where refugees can settle instead of living initially in UNHCR-provided tents.  The shelters are organized in clusters of several families living in a block, sharing toilets and water points. This design allows the refugees to have a sense of ownership over their facilities and avoid the problem of refugees not taking care of the communal facilities.

[Transitional shelters in Azraq Camp]

[WASH facilities allocated for families for one block.]

Azraq also utilizes several creative ways to maintain the camp.  Learning from the widespread informal connections refugees make on the electricity line in Za’atari Camp, Azraq Camp does not currently have general electricity service, but uses solar light system for street lighting.

[Solar lamps line the streets for safety and security]

Based on the dire needs of the refugees to prepare for winter, JEN is in the final stages of discussion to begin the clothes distribution targeting the current residents as well as refugees newly arriving to Azraq camp in partnership with UNHCR.  JEN Jordan hopes that the support from the people of Japan will contribute to improving the refugees’ lives in Azraq Camp!

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