‘My youngsters ask me, what’s Syria?’ Za’atari refugee camp enters second decade — World Points

Adil Toukan got here to Za’atari camp in April 2013, from town of al-Sanamayn within the Daraa governorate in southern Syria, alongside along with his spouse and two younger youngsters.

Since then, he and his spouse have had three extra youngsters, who know nothing about their house nation. 

“My household and I went by means of a substantial amount of struggling after we left Syria. We crossed a couple of safety checkpoint and a couple of nation. 

Life is steady, when it comes to the dwelling circumstances, safety, and infrastructure. The academic scenario is great [There are 32 schools in the camp, 58 community centres, and eight clinics in the camp].

Electrical energy is out there for eight hours per day. There’s a sewage community and a water community. There are asphalt roads and an inner transportation community.

We would like our youngsters to have a greater life than us, when it comes to schooling, research and work.”

‘Nobody got here right here willingly’

Qassim Lubbad, from Daraa governorate, got here to the camp in Might 2013. He’s not optimistic in regards to the scenario in Syria. 

“Certainly nobody got here right here willingly. I got here from Syria with 5 youngsters and had three youngsters right here within the camp.

Everybody got here as a result of they have been pressured to hunt security and safety. There was struggling. Households took completely different routes. We spent greater than 72 hours shifting from one village to a different till we reached the border and entered Jordan. 

Once I speak to my youngsters about Syria, and inform them that we have now household there, they ask me: What’s Syria? I clarify {that a} struggle broke out, and we got here to the camp. I inform them that staying right here within the camp is just not our alternative: when issues settle down and the safety scenario improved, we are going to return to Syria.

They ask me about their future right here and whether or not they’ll full their research after which marry and personal houses right here. I reply them that this matter is just not in our fingers, however within the fingers of God, and that simply as we got here with out prior planning, we will additionally return to Syria with out prior planning”.

I hope that the scenario will change for the higher. I miss the whole lot in Syria: the air and water, childhood, reminiscences, dad and mom and family members”.

‘I need to grow to be a policewoman to serve my individuals’

Greater than 20,000 births have been registered in Za’atari because it opened a decade in the past. A whole era of kids has grown up there, and the camp has grow to be their world. 

Ten-year-old Ghina was born in Syria and got here together with her household to Za’atari camp when she was solely 6 months previous.

“I research within the third grade. I really like college right here. I like arithmetic and English, however my favorite topic is Arabic. My dream is to grow to be a policewoman after I develop up, as a result of I need to serve my individuals.

I miss my grandparents very a lot. They’re nonetheless in Syria. I speak to them day-after-day, and so they present me footage of our home and inform me in regards to the previous. I’m so excited to see them.”

‘The scenario in Syria is just not good’

Fourteen-year-old Muhammad got here to the camp when he was solely 4. He says he remembers coming to the camp.

I knew that we had come to the camp seeking security and safety. I don’t need to return to Syria as a result of the scenario is just not good. 

I need to be a health care provider sooner or later, as a result of drugs is a fantastic occupation and profession.”