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Jordan, Middle East

JOR01 - Manara International - Support of Refugees

• View report dated: January 16, 2015

• View report dated: April 13, 2015

• View report dated: September 23, 2015

• View report dated: March 22, 2016

• View report dated: April 28, 2016

• View report dated: July 7, 2016

• View report dated: February 2, 2017

• View report dated: April 18, 2017

• View report dated: August 8, 2017

• View report dated: October 13, 2017

• View report dated: November 22, 2017

• View report dated: December 19, 2017

• View report dated: February 2, 2018

• View report dated: June 30, 2018

• View report dated: December 12, 2018

• View report dated: December 19, 2019

• View report dated: September 9, 2021

• View report dated: February 28, 2023

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Report Date: March 3, 2019

Report from BHW Partnership Facilitator Following Visit in January

Key person: Isam Ghattas  

 

Recent Events

Activities

Isam talked about the ongoing distributions of food, clothing and medicine in addition to the assistance given to people needing accommodation. Significant numbers of Iraqi Christian refugees are being helped. Most Syrian refugees have now moved on from Jordan through UN facilitation.  In general, Iraqi Christians are not being prioritized in terms of emigration.

In addition to the regular help mentioned above, there is the significant help for a number of Iraqi Christian families through the skills training provided at the Centre in Fuheis; English classes, sewing (see JOR1a report) and computing. These acquired skills will potentially help them in any future situation they find themselves.

Currently only 25% of the refugees in Jordan are unemployed although “they will work anywhere, whereas Jordanians will only work in an office”. It therefore appears as if the focus on relief is coming off and they are now placing more focus on vocational training. More than 30 people have been trained to work in the café at their booke shop in addition to the other skills training mentioned above.

 

Farm

Isam is also very focused on his property in Moab (near Kerak) where he has 35 acres with barns, houses, animals and crops. He has planted 1,500 olive trees (4 years old) and has an area for chickens. While he has an irrigation system, the land is still very dry and “looks like a desert”. He would very much like to see this become a place where refugees can work the land and live, and learn to farm effectively. Water is the chief issue and they are currently paying a lot of money to get water transported from a free source. 

 

Current Issues and Challenges

Many, if not all, of the refugees want to emigrate but face long delays in the processing of their applications to the authorities.

 

Comments

At the Centre in Fuheis there is a warm atmosphere generated by the admin leaders and teachers, and we recognize that these people are being significantly helped psychologically, emotionally and spiritually. Many refugees with a Christian background tend to be quite nominal in their faith expression but are experiencing something of the love of Christ through Manara’s help for refugees. The Gospel’s transforming grace is evident in the lives of people we met.