Arab Fund Association
for Childcare
Jerash Camp Kindergarteen
Jordan has long had an open door policy when it came to allowing refuges in from Palestine. This policy has relatively stayed the same as an influx of refugees came in from Iraq and Syria as well.
Many of us live our day to day lives numb to the wars around us, but even worse, many are unconscious to the casualties of war, the children.
The Majid Al-Saadi Foundation organizes the events and activities of the NGO by the name of The Changing Lives Program. The aim is to get young university students from England to travel across the Jordanian landscape in order to help build communities and learn about the Jordanian socioeconomic and psycho-graphic environment. One of their stops was in the Gaza refugee camp in Jerash, Jordan.
The Changing Lives Program worked with a local group of young adults who were organizing their activities. These young adults were well aware of the children's needs. For starters, they just needed to be children. They deserve to look around, giggle and run.
The Gaza refugee camp is one of many refugee camps across Jordanian lands. The Gaza camp is located within the East governorate of Jersash towards Ajloun. Displaced men, women, and children live in closed tight nit communities. Some have accepted their fate and have begun learning to live and nationalize into the country. Others still hold hope that their old homes may remain while under occupation, seeing this only as a temporary stop in their journey home. Some mourned the losses of those who had not made it, while some pray for those still yet to come.
There were small educational centers for children and young adults, but not enough. Both NGOs such as Mercy Corps and the Changing lives Program were very aware that currently there is little for the traumatized youth to do, and in order to foster healthy growth, one must allow for creative outlets for the young.
The children were taken to the other side of the building where there were limited play toys. The children and the university students split into groups and they played a relay race involving cooperation and strategy.
After the playtime in the sandbox, the children were taken to the roof of the school. It was a beautiful day, one to take advantage of. The children circled around each other, and one of the young adults coaching the session asked everyone what it is they wanted to be when they grow up. Going around the circle one could hear things like, "Pilot!", "Astronaut!", "Doctor", "Dancer!", "Poet!", and the list went on seemingly to infinity.
Just take a moment, and re-read what all those children want to be when they grow up. It's worth considering to help make a world where we can help them achieve their dreams and ease their nightmares.