A Volunteer's Experience
Jonathan Skaggs, 17, spent a few days volunteering with The Syria Fund's partners in Jordan. Here, he writes about his experience:
"Traveling to Jordan was an exciting experience for me. It was fun to visit the sites, but being able to make a difference with Syrian refugees was a whole new experience.
Sorting clothing with HRJ
Through The Syria Fund, my father and I spent time volunteering with refugee service agencies HRJ and the South Azraq Women's Association. We spent a day sorting donated clothes, shoes and toys from the local community in Amman. I was one of several international volunteers with a desire to make a difference in the lives of the Syrian refugees. Sorting clothes may not seem like much, but it still felt like I was making a difference in the lives of Syrian refugees. It was amazing to work side-by-side with volunteers from Jordan, Syria, Germany, The Netherlands, Brazil, Spain, England, Australia and the USA.
A few days later we all drove to Al-Azraq where we spent a day painting one of the refugee classrooms. We arrived as the students were on break from class. They ran around excitedly wanting play with us newcomers. Though we were strangers, we became quick friends. A few of the volunteers give time each week to teach an English class. The children liked to come out and practice speaking English to the rest of the volunteers. The children always had a smile on their face.
Painting a classroom with an underwater scene in Azraq
Overall, I had an amazing time serving the Syrian refugees in Jordan. It was a wonderful experience to paint the school, sort clothes and interact with both the refugees and the other volunteers from around the world. Thanks to The Syria Fund for making this opportunity possible."
