August 28, 2014 Jordan

Caritas also joined to help Jordanian and Syrian people

Amman: The European Union released 1.2 million Jordanian Dinars (approx. 37.9 mil CZK) to support Jordanians who suffers from the current crises in the region and Syrian people who found refuge from the war in their homeland. Caritas Czech Republic has also joined this project.

The purpose of the project is to train 1200 people across the country in practical and technical skills. The project was officially launched by representatives of the European Union, Caritas Jordan and its partners from the Czech Republic and Switzerland on 19^th August 2014. Another aim of the project activities is to help Syrian refugees and the local Jordanian population cope with the impact of the Syrian crisis by providing informal educational opportunities and psychosocial services.

Since the beginning of civil unrest in Syria, the EU has supported families who fled the violence in Syria. It has also supported host populations, who assist to refugees. Both groups should learn how to cope better with the difficulties they are facing. Creating opportunities to improve their living conditions through non-formal education and, in case of Syrians, reducing mental stress are the cornerstones for building the future, and thus allow a return to normal life.

Yaser, a Syrian refugee who has found a temporary home in Jordan one year ago commented on his new life: “If I should be honest, I must say, when I moved to Jordan, I had to face a lot of problems. Life is not easy if you do not have home to return and you don't know what brings tomorrow. But once I have started to meet Jordanians and work with them in charity centres, I understood that I am not the only one in distress and that we have to stick together to pass these difficult times successfully.” Lukáš Voborský, representative of Caritas Czech Republic, who works with his Jordanian colleagues agreed with Yaser’s sentiments: “The tension between Jordanians and Syrians grows more and more as Syrians flee into Jordan. However, Syrians are also bringing their specific know-how, which they can share with their Jordanian hosts and they can all together build new opportunities.”

Representatives of the European Union Delegation in Jordan, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Jordan, and of three Caritas (Jordan, the Czech Republic and Switzerland) officially launched the project activities together with Jordanian representatives and Syrian refugees in one of the Caritas centres in Zarqa. One part of the opening was a discussion held for participants. Taghreed, a Jordanian woman, who took part in discussion and went through cooking classes, appreciated the project: “I wanted to get better in cooking in order to be able to provide good services to people here in Zarqa, but I didn´t expect, that I will learn new recipes from my Syrian classmates! People love the pastry which I cook now.”

The ceremony was ended by Ibrahim Laafia, Senior Counsel of EU Delegation in Jordan: “The welcoming behaviour of the Jordan population has a big impact on life of traumatized Syrian refugees and can pave the way for their rehabilitation. The crisis is affecting a whole generation of people in Syria. Many were subjected to a large extent of violence and trauma and they need psychological support in order to start a "normal" life again."

Project financed by the EU, Caritas Switzerland and Caritas Czech Republic will last until August 2015. Caritas Czech Republic still continues in collecting funds to help Syrian refugees both inside Syria and in Jordan as part of the collection Caritas for Syria.