Schooling for Iraqi and Syrian refugee children

Supporting refugee children and adolescents in extreme poverty

2011 till 2015

Amman, Jordan

Context

Having fled Iraq and Syria because of the war, the situation of these families is extremely precarious and their living conditions particularly difficult. The parents receive a residence permit, which has to be renewed every year, pending exile to other destinations granted by the United Nations. For this reason, the parents do not receive a work permit.
Since 2007, the children have been able to enter Jordanian schools but are stigmatised by their background and differences due to their dialect, customs, etc.; they cannot integrate and are further traumatised. For these reasons, it was necessary to take these children out of Jordanian schools in order to integrate them into other schools of a multi-faith nature, which are not supported by the State and hence encounter difficulties in functioning.

Beneficiaries

Children and adolescents from Iraqi and Syrian refugee families

Objective

Supporting the schooling of particularly vulnerable Christian refugee children and adolescents in Jordan.

Results

Considering the extreme devulnerability of these families, basic support is provided to meet the family’s essential needs (equipment & health).
The support provided by the JFP Foundation is in addition to the variable contributions of the parents. It should be noted that the schooling of these children includes English language courses (with a view to emigrating to an English-speaking country) and computer courses to help them integrate more quickly. In addition, most of the multi-faith schools provide psychosocial support to these displaced and war-traumatised children.
More than a hundred children have benefited from schooling support each year.

Testimonials

Georges et Airine

Mr Georges and Mrs Airine and their two children - Rabel who is 13 and Benel who is 10 - are an Iraqi family from Baghdad. They came to Jordan after receiving several threats. The first was in 2006. A few days later, they left their home and fled to another area. This situation was very difficult for them, they could not stay for long. They decided to return to their home in Baghdad but their life became prison-like. On August 16th 2011, they received a second threat which left them between with two choices: leave their home or be killed. They found no other solution than to leave their country.
In Jordan, the family has thus far not received any assistance from the United Nations. They rely on a small income from Baghdad, namely the rent for their house. As for their children, since their arrival they have been enrolled in a state school, where they were badly treated. Thanks to your help, the children are now in a multi-faith school. The family is very grateful. Moreover, the general level of studies is better in this school. If they were to stop receiving help from you for their sons' schooling, they would prefer to keep them at home unschooled rather than expose them.

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Basmal et Iman

This family arrived in Amman at the end of August 2012 from Baghdad: father Basmal, his wife Iman and 2 children Rafel - 14 years old and Wael - 11 years old. In Baghdad, the children were in a state school. Their classmates asked them why, being Christians, they were staying in Iraq. One night, at their home in Baghdad, a group of armed people knocked violently on the door. When the father opened the door, he was hit and his teeth were knocked out. His wife fainted and the children hid in the toilet. The intruders devastated their house and left. The family then fled to Jordan and the incident left the children, especially the youngest, with an anxious behaviour. The mother begged the headmistress of the Greek church school to accept her children. After several attempts, they were accepted, but only for one semester, as the family was not able to pay the school fees. They live on money from the sale of their car. In Jordan, Iraqis are not allowed to work. The family hopes that with the help received, their children will continue their education in this school where they feel safe and comfortable.

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Our actions

Whether on a national or international level, we want to offer young people the best possible opportunities for the future. We support projects through concrete action on the ground thanks to our partner organisations

Discover this action

2010 till 2019

Belgium