MOSTResource.org

Resources on Muslims for the Entertainment Industry

  • Story Bank
    • Business & Technology
    • Entertainment
    • Culture & Lifestyle
    • Medical
    • National
    • Faith
    • Sports
    • Women
    • World
  • Resources
    • Faces & Places
    • Statistics
    • Infographics
    • Research / Reports
    • Quick Takes
  • Perspectives
  • Events
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Staff
    • Parent Organization
    • Videos
  • Story Bank
  • Business & Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Culture & Lifestyle
  • Medical
  • National
  • Faith
  • Sports
  • Women
  • World
mostresource storybank video

Explored Our Story Bank Yet?

Our curated collection of thousands of stories has helped top Hollywood writers, producers, and creatives. Watch our brief video to learn more.

World — August 9, 2017   

A Look At Syrian Children Growing Up At Za’atari Refugee Camp

Original article by Toby Fricker published in the Huffington Post on 08/03/2017

Photo Credit: Huffington Post
Photo Credit: Huffington Post

Toby Fricker is a communication specialist for UNICEF, and in this op-ed for the Huffington Post, offers first-hand insight on growing up as a Syrian child in a refugee camp such as the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan which houses 80,000 displaced Syrians, more than half of which are children.

“I was a little girl when I came from Syria, I was 11 years old and just thinking about toys; now I have grown up,” says Omaima, a 16-year-old who now lives in Za’atari with her family. “I used to think that when I got to the camp it would be like a picnic, like a garden to play with my friends. Then I was shocked, the scenery was intimidating. But school existed, so I was happy. I could register and go back to school.”

Fricker writes about the first years relocating to a refugee camp. Therapists label it “hyperarousal — a population living in a state of increased psychological tension. The fight or flight syndrome, adopted to survive and flee from the violence, just 12 kilometres away across Jordan’s northern border.” Omaima’s father, Thaer concurs, explaining: “People at the beginning were in big shock. With death and destruction printed in their memories, even if it’s safe they will never forget those images.” But recently, he says, things have changed for the better. “Teachers [now have a] better understand of the suffering of children. The schools have libraries and computer labs.”

Za’atari is now going on six years and the once temporary displacement center is upgrading for the future. Infrastructure has evolved – from tented homes and schools to fixed structures, and there is currently work on a water and wastewater system. Importantly, school enrollment rates have risen with nearly 21,000 out of the camp’s 27,000 children of school-going-age attending. Among classes now offered at the camp are: vocational training, social innovation initiatives, computer skills and sports activities.

Read more ...

Our Experts Are Here To Help

Want to start a conversation with our experts for help with your project?

Related Articles

  • M Film Lab Now Accepting Applications for Screenwriting Program
  • American Eid – Interview with Director Aqsa Altaf
  • Post vaccine, Muslim travelers are heading to… Israel

More From The Story Bank

Post vaccine, Muslim travelers...

Last year the Abraham Accords were signed between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. This marked a public normalization of relations not seen in decades. And with this new … [Read More...]

Meet the first Muslim head...

As new head coach for the New York Jets, Robert Saleh is making history as the first Muslim American to lead a team in the National Football League. The Lebanese American is also the third Arab … [Read More...]

Meet American’s Youngest...

According to The Hill, Bushra Amiwala "is part of a new generation stepping into politics." In 2019, she was elected to the Skokie Board of Education in Illinois, making this Pakistani-American … [Read More...]

Riz Ahmed Is Oscars’ First...

Riz Ahmed has become the first Muslim nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Academy Awards for Sound of Metal, not long after Mahershala Ali made his own history with two Best Supporting … [Read More...]

More Women Study Physics in...

A recent report from Physics magazine finds that physics departments in many western universities have a "significant gender disparity, with far fewer women than men taking up the subject." However, … [Read More...]

Enter your email to receive periodic updates

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy© 2002–2023 MOST ResourceMOST Resource globe


We use cookies to improve your browsing experience and to collect anonymous data to enable us to manage our website. Our Privacy Policy is a complete disclosure of our data collection policies, including the choices you have to control information we might collect. Your use of this site represents your consent to our Privacy Policy.