“Education is the light at the end of this dark tunnel.”
Syrian refugee children in Jordan struggle to stay in school as the impact of funding shortages impacts the most vulnerable.
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Najma, 40, is a mother of ten children. The family fled Syria in 2013, leaving their home in Homs and arriving in Za’atari refugee camp in the north of Jordan.
“Camp life was not suitable for my family,” said Najma. “We came to live in this village near the camp where life is cheaper than in the cities.”
Eight out of every 10 Syrian refugees in Jordan live in the host community, with only 20 per cent residing in refugee camps.
When Najma’s husband became sick and required urgent medical treatment, the couple had to make the difficult decision that he would return to Syria, where it was more affordable. Najma moved out of their house for a shared rental with two single mothers. Her family shares a single bedroom for which they pay USD 100 monthly in rent.
“Despite this arrangement, which is the cheapest we could hope for, we are still struggling and I’m behind on the rent,” explained a worried Najma. “Even though I can’t read or write, I needed to support my family so I had to look for work. I started out as a cleaner but there wasn’t enough work in the area so I had to go work on the farms. It was such hard, back-breaking work and only paid 1 JOD an hour [USD 1.40] – not even enough to put bread on the table for my children.”
When the family started receiving cash assistance from UN agencies, life became more bearable. But, in recent years, their assistance has been severely reduced, increasing Najma’s reliance on negative coping mechanisms like borrowing more money for daily expenses.
“I rely heavily on the Hajati support,” she said, referring to UNICEF’s cash assistance programme, which has also been affected by the reduction in international funding to the Syrian refugee response that is impacting all humanitarian actors in Jordan.
“I wait with anticipation for the school year to start when we start receiving it. I’m so glad it is unconditional because I can use it both for the children’s school needs and to help keep a roof over our heads. They can’t go to school if they are homeless or starving. And I don’t even want to think what would happen to us if we didn’t have a door to lock at night.”
Najma plans to buy bread when the next monthly Hajati assistance lands in her bank account. She is also hoping she can pay off some of her debt she owes to the local grocery store where she has been buying food for her children on credit. “Sadly, it won’t be enough for new school uniforms, bags or stationery. But I will try to purchase some of those things in the near future,” she said determinedly.
Najma plans to buy bread when the next monthly Hajati assistance lands in her bank account. She is also hoping she can pay off some of her debt she owes to the local grocery store where she has been buying food for her children on credit. “Sadly, it won’t be enough for new school uniforms, bags or stationery. But I will try to purchase some of those things in the near future,” she said determinedly.
According to UNHCR, more than 9 out of 10 Syrian refugee families living in Jordan are in debt, with 28 per cent forced to borrow money for food.
“Right now, support from UNICEF is the only reason I can feed my children or put them to bed at night. We are so desperate,” explained a distraught Najma. “The only time I feel happy is when my children come back from school and tell me how well they are doing or show me their successful exam results. It’s the motivation I need not to give up, even when I go to bed hungry.”
One of Najma’s older daughters, Ayah, 16, has been wearing the same school uniform for three years now. “I understand what my family is going through and that we barely have anything. I try not to complain. I will graduate in this uniform if I have to.”
Ayah is very close to her mother and understands the sacrifices she has had to make to provide for her children, even complimenting her on having the foresight to buy large-fitting uniforms the children could grow into.
“I’ve realized since my first year of school that it was up to me to work hard and stay in school,” she added. “Every day, I do my homework alone. It’s been a struggle but I’ve never once thought about quitting because, to me, school is the only thing that can change my reality. I want to make my mother proud and achieve what she couldn’t.”
“Education is an investment. One day when I have finished high school, I am hoping that everything will be better. I’ve learned so much during the years that I have spent in school and I’m eager to learn more. Graduating high school is the light at the end of this dark tunnel.”
Ayah hopes that if she can complete basic education, she will be able to find employment and start supporting her mother and siblings. But the increasingly fraught financial situation and reduced assistance has her worried her dreams will never be reached.
“Right now, my mother can only afford to buy me a small notebook. I know it will be expensive in my final year of school with exams coming up and I think that, without help, I will never reach my goal to graduate.”
Ayah has one message for the world: “I’m asking for support. Please help us.”
“I feel such a sense of shame when I have to ask people to read things for me,” added her mother, releasing a long sigh. “Everything is hard when you’re not educated. That is why I must ensure that my children receive the education I never had. All I want is for them to live a normal life and not struggle like I did.”
At the start of 2023, Hajati cash assistance was provided to over 10,000 children (Close to half of them girls and over one in ten children with disabilities) living in more than 3,000 households. As a result of funding shortages, UNICEF was forced to reduce the number of children benefiting to just over 5,500 children when the school year started in September 2023. It is anticipated this number will need to be further reduced this year.
UNICEF Hajati Cash Assistance Fact Box
Child-sensitive, multi-dimensional vulnerability targeting focusing on child and households level vulnerabilities including:
With prioritization of Female-Headed Households and Households with Children with disabilities. |
UNICEF’s Hajati assistance for the 2023/24 school year is generously supported by donors including the Government of the Netherlands through the Prospects partnership, the Government of Ireland through Irish Aid, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the United States Government.
