At the Questscope Youth Center in Za’atari Camp, we have a music room. Classes are taught by one of our mentors, Hayam, a Syrian musician who lives in the camp. Hayam guides youth in their lessons and experience of music. It’s an important method to help calm anxiety and foster healing in the rough environment of a refugee camp. Taima, a very talented girl, plays the keyboards. She is so talented that she started playing publicly at celebrations and ceremonies at the Youth Center. Hayam encouraged her to start playing at weddings and celebrations outside of the Youth Center, but she couldn’t afford to purchase a portable keyboard. So we surprised her with one of her very own! “When I brought the keyboard it was a surprise. I didn’t tell her that Hayam recommended this gift,” said Manar Amro of the Questscope team. “When we gave it to her she became very quiet, and then broke out into a smile and kept saying, ‘Is this for me?’ We drew a smile on this … [Read more...] about A Musical Gift

Syrians are well-known for their warmth and hospitality. They’re also famous for their cuisine. Having a clean space to welcome visitors is of paramount importance, especially for people who have already lost so much. The ability to invite friends and family over for a meal or cup of tea brings much-needed routine and community into a refugee camp. Moayad and his family lived in a caravan with a rough and leaky floor. Because it wasn’t well-sealed, insects and moisture would come in through the cracks. Their kitchen and bathroom were also incomplete and in poor shape. Seeing an opportunity for change, we set about doing some maintenace to these spaces. We also put in new flooring! Although the changes were fairly basic, it made a huge difference to their home. Moayad and his family can now invite their loved ones over with pride, to a space that reflects their spirit of hospitality. Moayad said, “You granted my wife's dream to have a neat kitchen! And my … [Read more...] about Spirit of Hospitality

Since its beginning in 2012, Za’atari Camp has continuously expanded to try and meet the needs of incoming Syrian refugees. Over the past six years, it’s grown to become the fourth largest city in Jordan - a sprawling "home" to 80,000 people just seven miles from the Syrian border. Meeting the needs of tens of thousands of people is overwhelming. But by doing the doable we’re able to make big differences through small acts – one family at a time. Mohamad lives with his wife Suraya and their three children in a small caravan. Their bathroom is in the same space as the kitchen, which leads to sanitation issues. Their ceiling is also cracked, with sections missing and open to the elements. We knew we could do something to help Mohamad and his family be a little more comfortable – feel a little more dignified. So we partitioned off the bathroom to create a secure and private space. We also did repair work on the ceiling, so Mohamad’s family can stay safe and warm. … [Read more...] about Making a Home

Many of the families we've met in Zaatari Camp are multi-generational – grandparents, parents, and kids all living together in one space, and taking care of each other. Amina Suliman is one of those caregivers. She lives with her children and handicapped mother in one caravan. Though the caravan is small, they are happy to be together. The house has an open central room, but it was missing a ceiling. Even the bathroom had no ceiling! They can hardly spend any time in their central room because they are exposed to the elements – sun, wind, and rain. They even wear coats inside during the winter. "It is very hard to live without a ceiling either in winter or summer – it affected my family," says Amina. "It is killing me every day to see them like this!" Our team knew we could ease this mother's burden through some simple construction project. We put up a ceiling in the bathroom, along with flooring and kitchen upgrades to protect the home from insects and keep the … [Read more...] about A Roof Overhead

Weather in Jordan can be extreme. The winters are cold, with snow and blowing wind moving across the open landscape. The summers are hot, with desert sun beating down, heating the inside of metal caravans where residents live. Fatima Al Zahri knows these extremes firsthand. She lives alone at the edge of camp, bordering a busy road. Her door doesn’t fit properly, so the caravan never gets warm in winter. And due to the extreme heat, Fatima must leave her door wide open to cool the interior of her caravan in the summer months. With no privacy fence to protect her, Fatima is exposed to traffic on the road, people walking by, even packs of dogs that roam the camp. Our team knew they could help Fatima feel more comfortable in her home with just one small change – a yellow extension to her caravan that surrounds the main door. The door serves both as a protection buffer and privacy shield. When she saw the yellow extension, Fatima couldn’t stop smiling! This will … [Read more...] about A Change for Fatima

Meet Nawal. She has a disability and lives with her sister in a tiny caravan in Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan. Because it's not easy for her to get around, Nawal spends most of her days inside. But what she loves more than anything? Cooking. When asked what would make her happy, Nawal said she wanted "a good kitchen that she can use proudly." But the kitchen of their caravan isn't built for her needs. We wanted to make Nawal's dream kitchen come true. So our engineers got to work building new shelves and adjusting the cooking area so it's now easy for her to use. When she saw the adjustments to the kitchen, Nawal was overjoyed. "I now realize there are people out there who cares about me!" she said. "You made my dream come true! I really wanted to get a new, nice kitchen. I feel now I'm like any other woman, I thought I was forgotten in this world, because of my disability." … [Read more...] about A Better Kitchen

Can you imagine living in a home where you didn't have a place to go to the bathroom? We've discovered over the last few days how important privacy and protection is for the families in Za'atari camp. And that is true again today, when we met Maryam. This mother lives with her daughter Nirmeen in a small caravan that was lacking both a kitchen and bathroom. They put up blankets for privacy when bathing. They cook in their front yard, next to their neighbors. But, our team knew it wouldn't take much to bring this family some privacy. We constructed a new bathroom space by erecting iron sheet metal adjacent to the home. And we closed off a portion of the outdoor space into a new kitchen area. When they saw their new home, Maryam was ecstatic. "Now I can live safely, I'll stop feeling the eyes of people on us,” she said. “Now my daughter is like everybody else, she has a bathroom and walls, I feel she's finally protected." Team member Manar was also overjoyed … [Read more...] about A Place to Themselves

Meet Farooq. He's 50 years old and lives alone in an abandoned storage unit in Za'atari Refugee Camp. We met him because the family of one of the youth who attends our Youth Center looks after him. Although they have little themselves, they provide him with food and other basic needs. When our team started brainstorming people they wanted to help, Farooq was at the top of the list. Questscope’s motto “putting the last, first” means that we look to help the most vulnerable and invisible people. The caravan Farooq was living in had no furniture and was covered in debris and stone. The walls were thin and cracked, with no protection against the wind and rain. Snakes and rodents would come in at night. Our team was able to build Farooq a new caravan and provide fresh mattresses. He even offered to give us what little money he had to go towards the mattresses. He just wanted to contribute in any way possible to the creation of his home. He said, “I feel like a … [Read more...] about The Dignity of a Home

Today we’re completing the second half of turning our librarian Amjad’s home into a safe refuge for his family. The caravans in Za’atari Camp are made of thin metal and aren’t great protection against the cold winter wind and rain. In the summer, the caravans bake as temperatures rise to 115 degrees or more. Amjad’s kitchen didn’t have a regular ceiling. They were using cloth to cover the kitchen space. Bugs came into the kitchen because the walls weren’t well sealed. They also couldn’t use the kitchen when it rained because water ran down the metal stove, which was connected to the metal door frame, and could create sparks. A big safety risk, especially in a family with children! Amjad’s father Nabil said, “A kitchen without a ceiling is a nightmare because it affects my family’s health and safety.” We built a roof over their kitchen, which helped seal up this room so it is safe and usable year-round. We're so appreciative of all the love Amjad has put … [Read more...] about A Safe Kitchen

Today we’re joining the family of our wonderful librarian, Amjad. He founded Questscope’s library at the Youth Center in Za’atari Camp. It's become a refuge for youth to read, study, and discover ways to heal from the wounds of war. "I found new strength in myself and for others," he said. In turn, the team wanted to help Amjad make his home a refuge for his family. There are two families who share one bathroom in his caravan. The lack of privacy is a deep concern around the dignity of each person, especially for women. We built a separate bathroom, so each family had their own space. Amjad's father Nabil said, “I’m so glad we separated the bathrooms. It’s only human for one family to have a sense of privacy even if we all live together. Thank you!” … [Read more...] about A Refuge for Amjad