Rebuilding Palestinian Livelihoods in Yarmouk Camp

Jafra Foundation for Relief and Youth Development has launched a GlobalGiving project "Rebuilding Palestinian Livelihoods in Yarmouk" in July 2018. Donations have helped to pave the way for returnees by conducting rubble and debris removal, as well as solid waste management activity.

Outcome: Around 35 workers and volunteers worked tirelessly to clean the camp and clear its roads. With rental of trucks and bulldozers, an average of 12 tons of rubble was removed daily. Several main roads and sideways were cleared, after which workers and volunteers conducting thorough cleaning. The collected rubble and waste are transferred to dumpsites located on the outskirts of the camp, remotely from any residential buildings and facilities. 

This project will come to a close. We continue to thank our donors for their generous contributions and support, and we reassure that their donations are making a significant impact to the lives of those affected on the ground. The project came to an end given the insufficient funds to make it sustainable, however, we resume supporting the families within Yarmouk in various ways through our international partners. We look forward to introducing to the global giving community new projects that positively impact the lives of thousands of Palestinian refugees. 

The offensive on Yarmouk camp, located 8 km south of Damascus city, have caused considerable damage in buildings, facilities and infrastructure. It is estimated that the vibrant camp that once hosted around 300,000 Palestinians suffered up to 80% of destruction. Nonetheless, as soon as conflict ceased, Palestinians from all over Syria expressed their desire and willingness to return to the camp that was once dubbed as the “Capital of Palestinian Diaspora” in Syria.

Jafra Foundation for Relief and Youth Development have launched a GlobalGiving project "Rebuilding Palestinian Livelihoods in Yarmouk" in July 2018. Donations have helped to pave the way for returnees by conducting rubble and debris removal, as well as solid waste management activity.

Around 35 workers and volunteers continue to work tirelessly to clean the camp and clear its roads. With rental of trucks and bulldozers, an average of 12 tons of rubble was removed daily. Several main roads and sideways were cleared, after which workers and volunteers conducting thorough cleaning. The collected rubble and waste are transferred to dumpsites located on the outskirts of the camp, remotely from any residential buildings and facilities. Jafra Foundation continues its efforts to liaise with relevant authorities and local coordination bodies to ensure effective planning and activity implementation.

The benefit of the project remains a three-fold one: re-opening roads to allow for returnees to easily access their houses, diminish the presence of insects and rodents which cause the spread of diseases and allow for the implementation of livelihood projects. The number of returnees is still limited to around 300 households, with others still waiting on approvals from relevant authorities to be able to return. Moreover, more than 100 households are accessing the camp daily to visit and assess the condition of their houses and facilities.

Jafra Foundation is continuing to explore all channels available to advocate for the permanent return to Yarmouk camp for Palestinian households. Jafra Foundation’s Director, Wesam Sabaaneh, has written several articles, spoken directly to media outlets and has been working closely with other international humanitarian organizations to systematically outline steps for permanent return and rebuilding, and highlight Jafra's own capacity for reconstruction efforts required. Jafra Foundation welcomes new and recurring donations to our project and contributions to the “2018 Year-End Campaign”. We continue to thank our donors for their generous contributions and reassure individuals their donations are making a significant impact to the lives of those affected on the ground (despite the huge task ahead for everyone affected), helping to rebuild Palestinian Livelihoods in Yarmouk camp.