More than 650,000 Syrians have sought refuge in Jordan to escape the conflict in Syria. Totally disoriented after months of bombings, they need to be guided to the correct reception facilities. For people who are injured or especially fragile it is essential that the appropriate care is provided.
Since the summer of 2012, Handicap International has been working with Syrian refugees in Jordan. The organisation has opened a rehabilitation centre in Za’atari camp, which currently hosts almost 80,000 syrian refugees. Physiotherapy services, prostheses and orthoses are delivered by Handicap International teams to people with injuries at this centre, as well as in hospitals and clinics.
The organisation has also set up a series of “Disability and Vulnerability Focal Points”, both permanent and mobile, to ensure that the most vulnerable people receive the humanitarian aid they need: rehabilitation care, prostheses, mobility aids (crutches, wheelchairs, etc.), psychosocial support and help in accessing other forms of humanitarian aid. Additional support can be provided to refugees who need assistance to buy basic necessities (water, food, hygiene items and clothes) and pay for their accommodation. The organisation also raises the Syrian people’s awareness of the dangers of explosive remnants of war, to prepare them for a possible return to their home country.
In Jordan, some 160,000 Syrian refugees have benefited from these initiatives so far.
A presence in Jordan also enables Handicap International to work with disabled people’s organisations, helping them to gain greater recognition of their rights in the country.
