Zaatari Camp Creations - Jordan
The people of Zaatari camp face severe problems with poverty—they don't even have sufficient money to buy food. Most people in Zaatari do not have jobs, especially women and people with disabilities. The jobs outside the camps are for men and are seasonal, low-paying, and often dangerous. The few jobs inside the camp are short-term and low-paying. Every year, the problem worsens with families borrowing money and going into debt.
In the summer of 2023, Mohammad Shwarma, together with other refugees, created the refugee-led group "Zaatari Camp Creations." The group creates and sells products such as soap, wood carvings, sewing, jewelry, and food. Their aim is to promote a positive worldview of how refugees can contribute to the economies of the host countries.
The group arranged their own transportation from the camp to Amman and rented tables at the Bazaar in Amman, Jordan. The Bazaar is one of the largest open-air markets in Amman. The group created their own logo, business cards, and social media accounts. While at the market, the women had the opportunity to interact with customers, learned about how to become businesswomen, and about working together as a refugee-led group. All of this was done at private expenses. The group deducted costs, including material costs, from the sales, and the remaining profits went to the refugees based on a profit-income rubric (effort + skill) that the refugees created.
The refugee-led group can serve as an example for other members of the Zaatari Camp who are looking for successful models to create livelihoods.
In October 2023, the group applied for the Creativity Award presented by UNHCR in Geneva, where approximately 3,330 applications were submitted worldwide. Zaatari Camp Creatives was fortunately selected to receive funds to continue working on their creative ideas for the upcoming year.
For further information, please contact Mohammad Shwarma . As part of the ThRIvE project, Mr. Shwarma is ambassador for Social Work in refugee camps.
