Photo Essay

Water - Before and After in Za'atari Refugee Camp

A new innovative and sustainable water and sanitation network is improving the quality of life for children and their families

UNICEF Jordan

A boy drinks a glass of water — UNICEF-Herwig

24 March 2019

💧 A new water and wastewater network in Za’atari Refugee Camp is providing a more sustainable source of clean water and safe sanitation to improve the lives of the 45,000 children who live there and their families 💧

A child collects water from a water tank — UNICEF-Noorani

2013

BEFORE: A child gets water from a communal water tank in Za'atari Refugee Camp in 2013.

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A girl fills a glass with water at a sink — UNICEF-Herwig

2019

AFTER: Sidra, 14, pours a glass of water from the tap of her family's caravan in Za'atari Refugee Camp in 2019.

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A child drinks water from a tap outside — UNICEF-Noorani

2013

BEFORE: A child gets water from a communal water tank in Za'atari Refugee Camp in 2013.

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2019

AFTER: Diaa, 10, drinks water from the tap in his family's caravan in Za'atari Refugee Camp.

Now I go and play football, which is much better than collecting water.

Diaa, 10

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A girl stands next to jerrycans in a refugee camp — UNICEF-Arnold

2014

BEFORE: A girl stands near the water collection point in Za'atari Refugee Camp in 2014.

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Girls play football on the streets — UNICEF-Herwig

2019

AFTER: A girl plays football with her friends in Za'atari Refugee Camp on the truck-free streets in 2019.

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A boy collects water outside using jerrycans — UNICEF

2014

BEFORE: A boy refills his jerry cans with water in Za'atari Refugee Camp in 2014.

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A boy stands outside holding a football — UNICEF-Herwig

2019

AFTER: A boy in Za'atari Refugee Camp has more time for football now that is no longer any need to collect water in 2019.

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Trucks on a street in a refugee camp — UNICEF-Herwig

2016

BEFORE: Water trucks move along the streets of Za'atari Refugee Camp in 2016.

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A boy plays with a wheel in a refugee camp — UNICEF-Herwig

2019

AFTER: A boy plays with a wheel on a truck-free street in Za'atari Refugee Camp in 2019.

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The water and wastewater network in Za'atari, which has reduced operating costs by two thirds, was generously supported by a donation from Germany, through the KFW, in addition to funding from Canada, UK and US.