Human Interest Stories

Human Interest Stories

 

Refugee Children Speak Out - Ruweished

© UNICEF Jordan

“I am enjoying school very much, I made many friends here at the camp, “ said Asma (13 years) from Djibouti.  

Abdul Qader (10 years) from Somalia adds: “I enjoy it so much here that I have volunteered to be responsible for the cleanliness and all the educational tools and games in the tent”.  Both children, their faces shining with innocence, were speaking to local, regional and foreign media representatives at the Ruweished Third Country Nationals (TCN) camp on Wednesday.

 

This was part of an information visit organised by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Jordan Country Office to give children the chance to speak out about their feelings and plight, and to show real-life examples of UNICEF emergency interventions at the Ruweished camps.

 

The children’s educational, psychosocial and recreational tent in the TCN camp currently serves 65 refugee children. The tent represents UNICEF’s interventions to get refugee children back to a feeling of routine and normalcy to help them   cope better with the current situation. The Children’s Organisation strongly believes that education and paly are the best means to keep children occupied and their minds stimulated.
 

UNICEF’s overall objective is to ensure that children in the camps have immediate access to educational services in a safe and protected environment, and that they are involved in educational group activities. Getting back to what was close to their daily routine will help in the psychological recovery of affected children.

The education tent currently set-up at the TCN camp is administered by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Development and concerned non-governmental organisations. It is fully equipped  with textbooks,copybooks,teaching aids, toys and games- other than providing educational services, the tent also serves as a recreational area where children can play.

Psychosocial support is provided in the tent for children who are finding it difficult to cope with their present situation. A team of professionals from the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Education have been trained to deal with these special children.

UNICEF, mandated to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential, is also committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children-victims of war and disasters.

© UNICEF Jordan

The visit included a stop at a tent in the Iraqi refugee camp serving as a medical clinic. The Children’s Fund has provided the tent, and fully equipped it with basic drugs and equipment. It is  administered by the Ministry of Health.

Six other tents have been pre-positioned in Ruweished to be set-up in the Iraqi refugee tent to serve Iraqi refugee children. Five tents will serve as schools for primary children and will work on double shift basis, and the sixth tent will provide psychosocial support for children. The needed teaching and student materials have also been provided by UNICEF.