A Mother's Lifeline: Water and Hope in Azraq refugee camp
Improving the camp’s water system is helping ensure all 40,310 residents have safe and fair access to clean water.
“Having reliable access to water means everything to us. It’s what has allowed us to survive here,” says Hana, a mother of five who sought refuge in Azraq camp back in 2014.
Azraq Camp is home to approximately 40,300 Syrian refugees, with children making up around 61% of the population. The entire population relies on clean water and safe sanitation that UNICEF provides through its partners and makes sure that the whole system runs smoothly so people stay healthy.
When Hana first arrived to the Azraq refugee camp, managing daily water needs was a constant struggle. “The walk to the water points was long and tiring, and carrying the heavy buckets back to my home was the hardest part,” she recalls.
Over the years, UNICEF has been dedicated to ensuring everyone in the camp can get clean water closer to their homes. They have added more water points between the homes (shelters or caravans), so people don’t have to walk far. They also made the water flow stronger at the taps, which has made life much easier for families like Hana’s.
To make water more reliable for everyone in the camp, UNICEF drilled a new borehole to add to the two already working. They also replaced old pipes with wider ones and added new ones to improve the system. Thanks to these changes, families are now getting clean water more regularly and easily every day.
“I have a water point now that is just a few steps from our shelter,” Hana explains. “And the water pressure is now much better. Easy access to clean water makes such a difference — with enough water I can care for my children, clean our home, do laundry, and prepare meals without feeling exhausted or in pain. I used to go far to collect water having to carry heavy buckets. This was extremely difficult for me because I also have a nerve damage in my hands.”
UNICEF is grateful for the Government of Switzerland, through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, for enabling the recent improvements in the water systems in Azraq Camp and helping ensure that the families and children there continue to access lifesaving water.
