1 August 2013 Children of Syria A UNICEF update Za’atari tent number one, a year on By Toby Fricker

ZA’ATARI, Jordan – When Omar* arrived with his wife and 8 children at Jordan’s Za’atari refugee camp they thought it would be for a few months. They are still there 12 months later.

“I never imagined we would still be here. Right behind my house was the border of the camp, past that was the desert,” said Omar. “Now I can walk for an hour to get to the end of the camp,” he added.

Za’atari is home to some 120,000 Syrians and covers an area of approximately 9 square kilometers.

Omar’s tent is now a caravan. Throughout the year many of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) supplied tents have been replaced by caravans.

“It provides better protection,” says

Omar. He remembers arriving 12 ©UNICEF/Jordan-2013/Masciarelli months ago to tents being blown 30 Children make up half of Za’atari’s population, now estimated at over 120,000 metres into the air by severe gusts “In Syria they used to have a good is located just off the main market of wind. Jordan’s northern desert is road from where the camp grew. It’s seriously exposed to the elements. life. They were not as tired as here, so they were prepared to take in nicknamed the ‘Champs Elysees’. Omar has since created a mini information,” he said. “It’s a good place to make a shop. I compound with his old tent and don’t work in it. I give it to someone caravan. In the middle, he proudly The hot summer weather makes to work in and pay him a salary,” shows off the cemented ‘yard’. learning conditions even tougher. said Omar. He sells some basic But his biggest concerns are his Omar also remembers the bitter food products. With the 50 to 60 children. “They feel very bored winter months with a sense of fear. Jordanian dinars (US$70 to 85) he and have almost nothing,” he said. “It was so rough. They distributed makes a month, he buys vegetables. Two of his children attend one of these gas heaters but it was so One year on and Omar still dreams the UNICEF-supported schools in cold, the gas they gave us was not of his one hope. “Don’t look at life the camp. While it helps to provide enough,” he said. here as permanent, we don’t want it some sense of normalcy to their here. The only thing I need is help to lives, Omar says that the camp’s Another serious concern is the lack go back to Syria,” he said. tough living conditions make it hard of work. Living in tent number one for them to concentrate. brings with it some benefits. He *Name has been changed www.unicef.org/mena www.unicefmena.tumblr.com www.twitter.com/unicefmena www.facebook.com/unicefmena Children of Syria 1 August 2013 THE WEEK IN PHOTOS They sure can recognize a celebrity when they see one: Syrians living in Domiz refugee camp in Iraq, young and less young alike, were thrilled by a recent visit by Egyptian actor and UNICEF Ambassador Mahmoud Kabil. Kabil spoke to mothers, fathers and children about their life in the camp, their needs and

© UNICEF/Iraq-2013/Abdulmunem the services UNICEF offers. Bored no more: A new sports ground, built with a generous donation from the Kuwaiti government to UNICEF and Mercy Corps, was officially inaugurated this week. It will provide children between the ages of 10 and 14 with the opportunity to play football, volleyball and basketball, in the presence of two trained

coaches. ©UNICEF/Jordan-2013/Azzeh UNICEF supports children to forget horrors in time of conflict By Alma Hassoun home to approximately 70 families, including 150 children. Most of the DAMASCUS, Syria – UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Yoka families fled Rural Aleppo, Rural Brandt and Regional Director for the Damascus as well as neighborhoods and Maria in southern Damascus. Calivis visited Syria recently, meeting While at the shelter, Brandt and with children and families displaced Calivis also attended UNICEF- by the ongoing conflict. supported psychosocial support ©UNICEF/Syria-2013/Hassoun Playing is crucial to children’s healing. At a shelter in Damascus, a father of activities aimed at helping children to three boys, aged between 2 months cope with the effects of conflict and In addition to providing psycho–social to 10 years told Brandt that he had displacement. help to children at shelters in Damascus, moved house five times before ending Groups of young children sat on UNICEF is also supporting mobile up at the shelter. His accommodation the floor in circles making coloured health teams in 12 governorates as consists of a classroom shared with paper into the shape of birds with well as providing safe drinking water, another two families – privacy comes the support of volunteers from the through the provision of chlorine, to over from tarpaulin sheets for walls. Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Older 10 million people across Syria. UNICEF This shelter, originally a children’s children played a game in which they continues to deliver ongoing support to school, was opened around six acted out a range of feelings such as women and children with humanitarian months ago. It is the temporary anger, worry and stress. services and supplies across Syria. www.unicef.org/mena www.unicefmena.tumblr.com www.twitter.com/unicefmena www.facebook.com/unicefmena Children of Syria 1 August 2013 Revisiting Syria, a year later

By Juliette Touma called the Syrian Republic. Today, there are about half a DAMASCUS, Syria – I first went to million Palestinian refugees Syria in the summer of 2012 with the in Syria. According to the Supervision Mission United Nations Relief and (UNSMIS). Even as fighting between Works Agency for Palestine Government forces and the armed Refugees in the Near East opposition spread, I travelled around (UNRWA), more than half the country. I visited villages that of them have been doubly had been totally stripped of human displaced as a result of the life, and walked into burned-down © UNICEF/Syria-2013/Touma Syrian conflict. At a school-turned-shelter in Damascus, 5-year-old Rida, tired homes. and sleepless, says, “I miss my little bedroom in Dera’a. I can’t Shadi, holding my hand use it now, because it has been bombed.” In one house stood a piano and tightly, walked me to a small bookcases neatly organized with assistance, and aid agencies are room and introduced me to Shirine, children’s books; there was a struggling to keep up. UNICEF a volunteer with the Syrian Arab Red computer in one corner, and a is helping provide safe drinking Crescent (SARC). With UNICEF beautiful chandelier hung from the water, adequate sanitation, schools, support, SARC is providing art ceiling – miraculously it had survived vaccines and safe spaces where therapy to children whose world has the fire. children can recover from the horror been turned upside down because of fighting. I also met ordinary people who of this conflict. told me stories of deep misery, These are basic essentials for “There are children here who keep fear, displacement, death, killing, children and their families to survive speaking about death; children who torture, kidnapping and forced and live in dignity, until maybe one witnessed the arrest, injury and even disappearances. death of close family members,” day they can rebuild their homes – I left the country in August last year, says Shirine. “The work we do here and their lives. but it never left me. The thought through drawing, drama, music and of returning has haunted me ever sports makes them smile again, since. even if for a bit.” Refugees by Going back Outside in the schoolyard, some numbers* Last week, I went again, this time children were playing handball. Rida, Lebanon 663,000 with UNICEF – and I saw how much 5, stood alone, not joining the group. things have deteriorated since my “I’m so sleepy. It’s too noisy here, Jordan 511,000 previous trip. The destruction is and I am always tired,” he says. “I Turkey 431,000 indescribable. miss my little bedroom in Dera’a. I can’t use it now, because it has been Iraq 160,000 In a Damascus school, converted bombed.” into a shelter for internally displaced 101,000 persons, I met 8-year-old Shadi, Struggling to provide the basics one of 4.25 million people who have This shelter hosts one of more North Africa 14,000 been forced to leave their homes than 450 school clubs that UNICEF Total 1,880,000 to flee the violence of war. Many of supports to help children catch up (UNICEF estimates that 50% of these them have sought shelter in schools. on their education and engage in refugees are children.) activities with their peers. Shadi is Palestinian. His - Figures have been rounded grandparents left the small town of The hundreds of thousands of *UNHCR registered refugees and individuals awaiting Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee in 1948, families displaced by the Syrian registration as of 1 August 2013 seeking refuge in what was then conflict need urgent humanitarian www.unicef.org/mena www.unicefmena.tumblr.com www.twitter.com/unicefmena www.facebook.com/unicefmena 1 August 2013 Imagine having to tell your kids Christmas is cancelled By Wendy Bruere Hesham tells me he used to look forward to the celebrations, which DOMIZ, Iraq – Hesham is 12 and to him meant presents, money, ice has missed Eid al-Fitr for the past cream and playing with his friends. three years. Eid al-Fitr is the major Islamic celebration that comes This year he wanted new clothes after Ramadan, and is basically and new shoes for Eid, he says. But the equivalent of Christmas for when he asks his mother when they Christians. will go shopping, she tells him they can’t afford anything. Ramadan began on 10 July this year. The holy month of fasting is usually In another tent, Marim and her nine accompanied by evenings spent children, aged from four to 22 years, © UNICEF/Iraq-2013/Bruere Hisham, 12, in his tent in Domiz. with family and friends, breaking the are spending Ramadan and Eid fast together with traditional foods. away from close family. Her husband occasions their family celebrated. It culminates in Eid al-Fitr, a two- is still in Damascus – he stayed to It’s a magical part of being young, day holiday with family, feasting and sell their house and said he would whether it’s about candy and presents for children. follow soon, but so far he hasn’t presents, or favourite grandparents been able to do either. and aunts. But Syria’s children are For two years, the conflict in Syria, missing this – many for the third year which fractured Hesham’s family, put “It’s hard for the children not to see running. The memories they will look a stop to celebrations, and this year their father for Eid,” Marim says. “My back on will be very different to the in Domiz refugee camp in northern youngest son cries and asks me memories their parents wanted to Iraq there isn’t the money or the where his dad is.” give them. spirit to mark the occasion. Aside from missing family, Marim’s This is partly why the activities “It’s not a special day anymore. It kids know there’s no point asking for UNICEF and partners run for just happens and no-one notices,” presents or treats this year. children at Domiz camp, both in his mother, Naslya, says. “There is “My children used to get so excited the Child Friendly Space and the no life in this tent.” looking forward to Eid,” Marim recently launched summer activities in schools, are vital to giving these “Three years ago in Syria, Eid was says. “And they know it’s Ramadan now, but they don’t talk about Eid children some positive memories to great. Our relatives would visit us and look back on. For refugee children, anymore.” there would be dancing. We would take these activities – sports, theatre, the children to the playground every Most people cherish their childhood music, drawing and playing with their night during Ramadan,” she says. memories of festivals like Eid, friends – may become the bright “Three years ago there was no war.” Christmas, or whatever festivals and spots in their memories of camp life.

Lebanon Syria Briefs Summer education programmes are Since the beginning of the year, under way in schools, community UNICEF and local partners have centres and informal tented reached 153,000 children in 14 settlements. Their aim? Provide governorates with medical check-ups. education and psychosocial support Jordan to nearly 30,000 children. Turkey We have reached nearly 16,000 Iraq A new child-friendly space opened persons with messages about the in Adana camp, southern Turkey, need to protect children from violence, In Domiz, working with partners, we early marriage and child labour and offer English, music and art classes offering a space for young boys and the importance of sending them to for children, as well as hair dressing girls to play, interact and enjoy group school. and knitting activities for older youth. activities.

For more information: www.unicef.org/mena Juliette Touma [email protected] www.unicefmena.tumblr.com UNICEF Middle East and North Africa [email protected] www.twitter.com/unicefmena www.facebook.com/unicefmena