Day 6: Food Parcel Distribution
3/16/16
Today we were supposed to distribute 200 food parcels to the Syrian refugees with another 50 to be dispersed by Humanitarian Family Aid (HFA). We went to the supermarket which was providing us with the food parcels. When we arrived at 8AM we discovered that the driver for the truck we were taking had still not arrived. After a half hour of waiting, we were really worried because we still had no word on when he was expected to arrive. Every time we asked when he would be arriving, we were told “5 minutes”. After an hour and a half of waiting and increasing pressure on the vendor, he contacted another driver to help us deliver the food parcels.
Finally, at 10AM, our new driver arrived and everyone quickly loaded up the truck. We were two hours behind schedule and stressed about how we would get this accomplished today. We could have delivered all of the food parcels to the center in Al-Azraq and have the Syrian refugees make the trip over to pick them up but we did not want to make their lives more difficult than they are. We were worried the team we were meeting at Al-Azraq might not let us complete the deliveries today because we had lost so much time. As it gets darker in the area, it becomes harder to drive on the roads and safety is always a concern.
We finally arrived at 1PM and started distribution that afternoon. On all of these distribution runs there are three vehicles; one vehicle which leads the team to the family locations, the truck carrying the merchandise, and the car with PACE and HFA volunteers. Many of the routes were rocky and made it very difficult for the smaller cars in our convoy.
As we pulled up to each site the families would rush out to greet us. They would be asked for their names and how many family members they had. When they gave us the answer, a women from the center would check her list and verify the information. This was to ensure families were receiving sufficient parcels. Each food parcel feeds a family of six for a month. So for example, if there are nine family members, they received two parcels.
We were amazed to see small children working together to lift these heavy boxes and carry them back to their tents and even more amazed by a pregnant woman we met, who had to be in her eighth month of pregnancy, who despite this lifted a box and carried it on top of her head as she walked back home. We struggled to lift and move the same parcels.
After distributing a total 124 food parcels, our truck driver started to give us issues eventually refusing to continue with the distribution. He claimed that the roads were causing damage to his truck due to their poor conditions. It was also very late at that point and the remaining families were further out. The team wanted to continue on and tried to have the truck driver continue, but he refused. We were forced to stop distribution and decided we would have to complete this on Saturday after the school opening and fun day for the students. Friday was not an option since the center was closed that day.
Day 7: Preparation for Final Day
3/17/16
Since we could not carry out any distributions today, we prepped for our final day. We went over our interviews and each family’s medical problems as they told us in them, searched for the medicines they stated they used, and the best price we could find for them. Later we purchased the snacks for the fun day.
-Yasmen Bagh
3/15/16
Last night our team decided to leave earlier than usual, at 6:30AM today, since we had 25 water tanks to distribute. The tanks are large and we were unsure as to how long it would take to set each of them up. In addition to this, we were unsure how distant each family was from one another and we wanted to be able to reach all of the families and set up a water tank for each group while there was still light outside.
After we met with the team in Al-Azraq, we made our way to the tents to start distributing. At each tent the families would rush out to greet us and ask if they were going to get a tank. The amount of tanks distributed at each site was based on the number of tents in the area.
There was one site we went to where a Jordanian man approached the group to ask if he could get one tank but was told we were only helping Syrians. Denying the man water was tough for our team to hear as we want to be able to help everyone, but we could not help him because the funds we had raised were specifically for Syrian refugees.
We were asked to conduct more interviews today, focusing on individuals with more dire their medical needs.
The cost for each water tank is $77JD (roughly $108.57 USD) and to refill a tank with water costs $5JD (roughly $7.05 USD).
-Yasmen Bagh
Day Three
3/13/16
Today, it took us two hours to get from Amman to the Al-Azraq camp by car, which was faster than with the truck. The plan for the day was to go to the Syrian refugees' homes and interview them.
When we arrived at the center early in the afternoon we were told that refugees had been waiting to speak to us to share their stories and ask for help since 8AM. We began our interviews at the Al-Azraq center and made our way to the apartments in the surrounding area. For the next six hours we heard endless stories about their challenging past. Those we interviewed seemed to be glad to just have someone to hear it their stories.
All of the families shared a similar wish to return to Syria.
Day Four (Family Interviews Continued)
3/14/16
The original plan was to visit families living in the tents, but the winds today were too strong. As a result the staff at the center told us we could not visit and that it would have to be done the following day.
Word spread throughout the camp that we were there and refugees came flocking to the center to see us so they could share their stories and seek help. Originally we were only supposed to see 15 families from the tents but others came and we could not turn them away, so we sat and interviewed each person that visited us. Many traveled a great distance to the center.
During our interviews we asked each family about medical issues they or their immediate loved ones were experiencing and asked about any medications they struggled purchasing. The most common health issues were high blood pressure, diabetes, and disc problems.
There was one couple who stuck with me in particular. We had asked what their dreams and hopes were for their future. The husband’s response was "To return home". For some reason this couple really stood out to me and my sister and we couldn’t help but start to cry. Hearing all of these stories first hand became overwhelming.
A young girl who was sitting in the room with us during some of the interviews asked me why I got so emotional. Her question broke my heart.
A total of 28 families were interviewed between the two days.
-Sarah Abaza
As the Syrian conflict enters its fifth year and continues to produce refugees as Syrians seek asylum elsewhere. It is now the largest humanitarian crisis in the world with half of the original population being killed or forced to flee their homes. Those who are fortunate enough to have escaped have lost their homes, status, wealth, and in many tragic cases family members. The United Nations predicts that there could be 4.7 million registered Syrian refugees by the end of 2016, making this the worst exodus since the Rwandan genocide 20 years ago.
Children affected by the conflict have been forced to drop out of school, are at a greater risk of becoming ill, malnourished, abused and exploited. This crisis plagues the news daily and the world has yet to provide adequate relief which the refugees desperately need.
PACE members are traveling to Jordan in March of 2016 to collaborate with one of our partner organizations based there (Humanitarian Family Aid) to provide necessities directly to the Syrian Refugees at the Al-Azraq camp. With the weather becoming colder, funds are currently being raised to provide food, blankets, heaters, and fuel. PACE seeks to alleviate what suffering it can by lending support, and if nothing else, restoring hope.
Finally, at 10AM, our new driver arrived and everyone quickly loaded up the truck. We were two hours behind schedule and stressed about how we would get this accomplished today. We could have delivered all of the food parcels to the center in Al-Azraq and have the Syrian refugees make the trip over to pick them up but we did not want to make their lives more difficult than they are. We were worried the team we were meeting at Al-Azraq might not let us complete the deliveries today because we had lost so much time. As it gets darker in the area, it becomes harder to drive on the roads and safety is always a concern.
As we pulled up to each site the families would rush out to greet us. They would be asked for their names and how many family members they had. When they gave us the answer, a women from the center would check her list and verify the information. This was to ensure families were receiving sufficient parcels. Each food parcel feeds a family of six for a month. So for example, if there are nine family members, they received two parcels.
