Iconic Syrian Refugee Camp Marks its 4th Anniversary

Over nine days in July 2012, UNHCR teams worked quickly with the Jordanian government to erect a makeshift camp for Syrian refugees who were crossing the nearby border in growing numbers. When it opened on July 30, Za’atari camp was little more than a cluster of 100 UNHCR tents standing on a windswept desert plain.

The camp grew exponentially over the following year as fighting intensified in Syrian cities like Damascus and Homs. By December 2013, Za’atari had become a vast tent city, stretching as far as the eye could see. It had 120,000 residents, lighting, water, health clinics, primary schools and bustling business district.

Hot and desolate

“It was amazing what UNHCR and its partners managed to achieve in a short space of time, but it wasn’t easy,” says Andrew Harper, an Australian who has headed UNHCR’s relief operations in Jordan since the beginning of the Syrian war. “We were the first to admit that it was a hot, desolate location. Nobody wants to put a family, who has already suffered so much, in a tent in the desert, but we had no choice…we had to work with what we had.”

“Nobody wants to put a family, who has already suffered so much, in a tent in the desert, but we had no choice…we had to work with what we had.”

Four years later, most of Za’atari’s tents have been replaced by streets of prefabricated shelters which are more bearable in the searing heat and bitter winter cold. Much of the camp has electricity, water and sanitation. Thousands of weddings have taken place and an average of 80 babies are born there every day.

Strength of the human spirit

Despite dwindling hopes of return, the Syrian people remain resilient. Most striking of all is Za’atari’s vibrant market street, known to many as ‘The Champs Elysées’. Lining the dusty roadway are coffee shops, shisha and falafel stalls, phone kiosks, barbers and a pizza delivery service — all testament to the resourcefulness of the Syrian refugees. There are also shops where wedding dresses can be bought or hired, a poignant reminder of life going on in the face of adversity.

Life in Za’atari remains a daily struggle for many families. After five long years of war, their resources are depleted and they are losing hope of ever going home.

“When we were back in Syria, we were happy,” says Nejmeh, who fled to Za’atari two years ago with her elderly father. “Those were beautiful days. We never thought we would end up like this. Everything now has become a memory.”

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