Dear Supporters, 

Last week, we put out a call to bring essential food items to families facing immediate food shortages due to the Coronavirus lockdown in Jordan. You answered and together we raised $4,000! Thank you!

This week, we delivered. In collaboration with our local partner, Nachmyat Eastern Badia Cooperative, and the local Azraq government, we successfully distributed 150 food packages to families in need. This included 100 families whose children attend The Azraq Center program and an additional 50 vulnerable families in the town. 

This is all thanks to YOUR generosity! Check out the photos below to see your donations at work.

Food packages included: Rice, sugar, beans (lentils, fava beans, green beans), tomato paste, oil, cheese, bulgur, filtered water, milk, and more! Our amazing team worked diligently to provide food in a safe and hygienic way.

The Coronavirus lockdown in Jordan is hitting our families particularly hard. Unable to leave the house and out of work, families are dealing with serious food shortages. We will continue to provide essential food and hygiene to our families as the lockdown continues. $30 provides a food box to a family in need. Consider making a donation to support our ongoing efforts!

Thank you again for your incredible generosity during these challenging times. We are all working together to help those affected by this crisis both in our communities at home and abroad! 

With our deepest gratitude,
The Syria Fund team

Dear TSF Supporters, 

Like so many around the world, The Syria Fund is dealing with the immediate impact that the Coronavirus Pandemic is having on our community in Jordan. Last week, the Jordanian government effectively locked down the entire country to prevent the further spread of the virus. This means that our program, The Azraq Center, is closed until further notice.

Families across Jordan are required to stay at home and even trips to the supermarket or pharmacy are not allowed. We are continuing to support our entire program staff during this time and we are coordinating closely with our local partner and the Azraq Municipality to begin immediate food distributions to some of the most vulnerable families we serve. We will also be working closely with our teachers to create virtual activities and support at-home learning to keep our students active and engaged.

At this time, we are asking for donations of $30 to provide an essential food box to a family in need. The Food Box will include: filtered water, oil, flour, rice, beans, sugar, and milk. We aim to begin distributions, in coordination with local government officials, in the next week.

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IN NON-COVID-19 RELATED NEWS

We thought it might be good to talk about something OTHER than Coronavirus and update you on some of the great activities we began implementing prior to this unscheduled interruption!

A Second Class of Montessori-Inspired Pre-K

As you know, in September of last year, we launched a Montessori-inspired Early Education Room with the Blossom Hill Foundation, the first such program in Azraq.  The program has been a tremendous success and there is a long wait list.  This February, we expanded our partnership to add a second class of 3-5 year old students at our Early Education Room! The program now hosts 60 total children and 6 teachers across two classes, bringing innovative education and learning opportunities to our littlest students!

Test Prep for Teens

The Azraq Center is dedicated to helping students succeed in the classroom, and ultimately graduate high school. We are very proud that this semester, we launched the first and only Test Prep class in Azraq for teenagers studying for the Jordanian High School Exit Exam, the Tawjihi! 

High School graduation and Tawjihi pass rates are extremely low in Azraq. In fact, in past years the pass rate for Tawjihi was in the single digits for Syrian students. We’re working to change that statistic. Before our program started, students had to travel more than 45 minutes to access a test prep class, which isn’t feasible for most. Our first cohort of 25 teenage girls join us 3 days per week for intensive study in the key subjects of Arabic, English, and Math!

Women’s Literacy 

Finally, last month we opened our first women’s literacy class. We received a lot of requests from mothers and other women in the community to help them achieve critical reading and writing skills. Many older women in Azraq, both Syrian and Jordanian, didn’t go to school when they were young or dropped out in grade school. Many have lived their whole lives completely illiterate. Our literacy class is a safe and welcoming space where women (some as old as 65!) can learn to read and write, and have fun while learning!

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We appreciate your support during this stressful time! We are coming together as a Global Community to fight the virus and we are focused on continuing to support our community and respond to their pressing needs. 

Wishing you good health, safety, and as always, sending our gratitude.

Best,

The Syria Fund team

Dear Supporters, 

Happy 2020! We're entering a new year with more impactful programming and humanitarian aid for refugee families in the rural community of Azraq, Jordan. Thank you for your continued support which makes it all possible! Read on for some of our recent programming highlights from Azraq.

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Poetry & Art Workshops

We started the year with new, enriching arts programming at The Azraq Center with our partners Voices of the Children! Grade 4 and 5 boys wrote poetry around the theme of "Legacy". Then, they interpreted their work into visual representations through making and painting masks of their faces! Look out for more great programming with VoC this year, including theater, film, and photography workshops coming this Spring!

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The Blossom Hill Montessori Room

TSF wrapped up the first semester of our new Montessori-inspired Early Education room at The Azraq Center thanks to the support of the Blossom Hill Foundation. This Spring, we look forward to expanding our partnership and opening a second class, bringing innovative early education to 30 more Syrian and Jordanian children ages 3-5 in Azraq! Check out the below video for more on this exciting initiative:

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Winter Distributions

Thanks to generous donations, TSF distributed nearly 100 food packages last month to families in need with our partners Nachmyat Eastern Badia Cooperative. Packages contain staple items like rice, oil, canned beans, and more. Thanks to everyone who continues to support our humanitarian aid initiatives!

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An Interview with Business Insider

TSF Executive Director Lexi spoke with Business Insider last week about our work in Jordan and the importance of supporting the host community along with refugees in Azraq. Check out the interview in the video below!

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Thank you for your continued support! Consider making a 2020 donation to The Syria Fund today!

With gratitude,
The Syria Fund Team

Click on the image below to read our 2019 report from The Azraq Center!

This month, thanks to the incredible support of the Blossom Hill Foundation, The Azraq Center launched a first-of-its kind program in Azraq: a Montessori Early Education Center!

Not only is this the FIRST early education center in South Azraq, it is incorporating the proven innovative Montessori learning method into the classroom, something never before seen in this small, rural town. 

Here’s how we did it:

1. Partner with a World Class Montessori Institution

We partnered with the Modern Montessori School in Amman, Jordan, a 30+ year old institution, to conduct an intensive Montessori teacher training for 11 trainees. Over the course of 3 months, our group of trainees commuted to Amman for training in Montessori theory and developmental psychology. The course included hands-on experience in Montessori classrooms as well as lecture time with certified trainers. At the end of 180 hours, each trainee sat for an exam and earned a Ministry of Education-certified certificate in Montessori Education! 

TSF meets with MMS in Amman

Trainee Nour Al Fayiz

Trainee Haneen Al Shaalan

2. Create a classroom

Montessori classrooms are set up with specific guidelines and intentionality. We engaged with a local carpenter and local furniture manufacturer to create the required materials for our classroom. This includes KG-sized classroom furniture in addition to the specific Montessori tools and activities that our students will learn with. We are proud to source all of our materials locally to support the Jordanian economy and small businesses. Once everything was delivered, it was fun to unpack it all and set it all up!

Alia and Lexi measure shelves

Haneen and Nour set up the room

Teacher Su’ad unpacks

Montessori Materials unpacked & ready!

3. Select the students

The Azraq Center conducted an extensive outreach campaign to select 30 students ages 3-5 to participate in the program. Students come from both Syrian and Jordanian families, in an effort to bring families together and support social cohesion here in Azraq. We took measures to ensure families understood the level of commitment required for the program, would ensure regular attendance from their children, and were open and receptive to the ideas of both early education AND alternative learning methods.

Majed, 5

Tuleen, 4

Asmaa, 5

Amed, 3

4. Spread awareness of the new concept

Since this was the first time that our beneficiaries had ever even heard the term “Montessori”, it was important to share the philosophy behind the program and prep the families for what to expect! Our three selected teachers and school administrators hosted an introductory awareness session for all the moms to learn about the program and ask questions. We conducted a pre-program assessment and moderated a lively and engaging discussion! The parents were particularly enthusiastic about the philosophy behind Montessori learning, the idea that students learn through peer-to-peer learning and activity/play base vs. the traditional classroom environment.

Principal Alia speaks with families

Teacher Su’ad explains Montessori philosophy

5. Put it all together! 

Now that we have a beautiful space, qualified teachers, engaged parents, and eager students, it is time to get learning! Classes are finally beginning and we can’t wait to show you the results of this incredible effort! Stay tuned as our classroom gets going!

From left to right: Haneen, Su’ad, Lexi, Nour, Alia

School might be on break but the learning does not stop for the summer. At the Azraq Center, we've adapted our summer schedule to promote enriching education while keeping elements of summer fun!

Embracing Creativity

Thursday is our craft day. Whether it's a musical performance or a drawing workshop, you can always expect your artistic side to be satisfied on Thursdays at the Azraq Center. Our amazing teachers have gone above and beyond this summer through a wide diversity of engaging and unique activities that allow students to think in new ways.

Staying Active

The benefits of exercise span from enhanced academic performance to prolonged smiles throughout the day. We start every morning with guided exercises, making sure all of our students are not only staying active but doing it in a way that makes it fun. We also frequently take trips to the nearby soccer field where our students are navigating teamwork, healthy competition, and bending it like Beckham.

Giving back to our school

We all have a role to play! To give back to the campus, students help out to maintain and clean up around the school alongside teachers and staff. Students saw the intersection of creativity and utility as they channeled their inner artist into repainting walls and murals. This process of giving back creates a shared sense of compassion and care.

Local Military Memorial

6th-grade students spent the day learning more about Azraq Town at a local military memorial and museum. This visit yielded an enriching historic and cultural experience for our students who learned more about the history of their town.

Magic in Azraq

The Azraq Center welcomed Magician Jamie Jibberish from Magic for Smiles who specializes in humanitarian magic for refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey. Jamie dazzled students with his tricks while promoting self-confidence through performance.

Learning with our moms

This summer, we opened our classroom doors so that our mothers didn't just observe the programs their children are in but were able to actively engage with them IN the classroom. We are committed to sharing a love of education that extends into the home and engaging with parents is an essential step in this process!

Acting for a Cause

Fourth and fifth-grade students at the center participated in a play entitled Conserving Our Environment. The play explored the effects that littering has on trees and the natural landscape, urging everyone to pick up their trash.

Monday Morning Radio

The Azraq Center's Monday morning radio is an opportunity for students to engage with their classmates and develop their public speaking skills. Students take turns each morning to take the microphone and read out loud, tell a story, or share an update from the news

Eid al Fitr

After hosting several iftar dinners and providing food distributions throughout the month of Ramadan, the Azraq Center celebrated Eid al Fitr with our community with a banquet dinner and lots of celebrations.

Dance for Azraq high school exams

Students from The Azraq Center performed a traditional dance to celebrate students at a local high school as they took their final exams.

Eid al Adha

This year we went all out for our Eid al Adha celebrations. From arts and crafts to musical performances, our community came together this holiday providing a joyous time for everyone. In addition to these holiday activities, we celebrated by distributing fresh meat and new clothes. This Eid proved a great culmination to an amazing summer at The Azraq Center.

From its strategic location to its natural water sources, the Jordanian town of Azraq has long held significance. Situated in the Azraq Oasis, it serves as the only permanent source of fresh water in approximately 12,000 square kilometers of desert. This opulent land has seen centuries of visitors from Lawrence of Arabia to rare birds from around the world. 

Did you know?

Azraq contains two major nature reserves: The Azraq Wetlands and The Shomari Reserve.

The town is home to multiple ethnic groups, including Druze and Chechens who settled in the town in the early 1900s.

Chechens, fleeing Russian persecution, were drawn to Azraq in the early 20th century for its farming and fishing opportunities. They still maintain their language and traditions until today!

Water Buffalo, once extinct in the reserve, have been reintroduced to the Wetlands Reserve - if you’re lucky, you can find them there!

More than 280 unique species of migratory birds have been recorded in Azraq - some originating from as far off as Africa and Scandinavia!

Qasr Al Azraq (Azraq Castle) famously served as a Castle for Lawrence of Arabia, and you can find architectural examples from multiple eras at this historic site! It was originally built by the Romans in the early 4th century. The Umayyads used the site as a hunting palace and in the 13th century, the Ayyubids significantly expanded the castle and used it to defend against Crusaders. Later, Turks stationed a garrison at the site in the 16th century and in 1918, Arabs (and Lawrence of Arabia) used the site during the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire.

Fun Fact: The entrance of Qasr Al Azraq has indents from when guards would play board games using pebbles.

Human activity has not only affected this desert oasis landscape through the depletion of natural wetlands— since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, the population of Azraq has nearly doubled from the influx of refugees.

With strains on all sectors of the economy in Azraq town, The Syria Fund is committed to providing opportunities for Syrians and Jordanians to improve their situations and create stronger social cohesion. This starts with getting every kid back in school.

At The Azraq Center, we believe that giving children a seat in a classroom is an essential first step in addressing their needs, but we also know that more is needed. In addition to remedial education provided on a daily basis, we enrich our students lives with classes in art, music, and more. And not only that, we want our kids to connect with their community and know the rich history of the town they live in! We take field trips to local historic sites as our students spend time discovering the history, geography, and ethnic diversity of their town!

Dear TSF Supporters,

We hope you are staying warm in these winter months! Read on for highlights from the first two months of 2019. Thank you as always for your consistent support - everything we do is possible because of you!

Winter Humanitarian Aid

A New Tent: In January, an intense winter storm hit Azraq with freezing temperatures and gale-force winds. A Jordanian family with four young children living in a tent in a rural desert area literally lost their home in the middle of the night when the winds ripped the tent from under them.
TSF and our local partners at the South Azraq Women’s Association responded immediately. Police picked up the family from the desert and brought them to one of our classrooms that we quickly converted into a shelter for the night.
In the morning, we brought warm jackets and other outdoor clothes for the children. We purchased a new sturdy tent and carpet for the family. Within hours, the tent was properly set up and the family was back on their feet.

Fuel & Wheelchairs: TSF additionally distributed fuel for gas heaters to over 30 families and brought wheelchairs to 5 individuals in need this month. Special thanks to our donors Adnan and the Sunrise Rotary Club for supporting these efforts!

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Poetry & Art Workshop in Azraq

TSF partnered with the organization Voices of the Children to run a 3-part workshop with the students at our Azraq Center. In exchange with a private school in Geneva, Switzerland, the program centers around the concept “What is Home?” through three distinct workshops:

Part 1: Poetry - Students were introduced to poetry composition and each student wrote their own poem beginning with “Home is…”.

Part 2: Artistic Interpretation - The poems were translated and exchanged with the other student group. Our students in Jordan read the Geneva poems and created drawings reflecting the words they read. The students learned from each other's poetry that even though they come from such different circumstances, they found they had more in common than what sets them apart! 

Part 3: Mural Creation - Next week, we will conduct the third part of the workshop where students will create a large-scale mural using elements from their drawings! This summer, we will share the mural in a moving exhibition in Jordan and other areas!

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Montessori Teacher Training

With support from the Blossom Hill Foundation, The Syria Fund will be opening up the first ever early education program in Azraq at our new campus this Spring. To create a program inspired by Montessori teaching methodologies, we partnered with the Modern Montessori School (MMS) in Amman, Jordan to host a 180-hour teacher training program for 11 local trainees from Azraq. The training provided both theoretical and hands-on learning opportunities at the school in Amman. Through MMS, we’ve acquired an Arabic-language Montessori curriculum and when our school opens this Spring, we will host 30 children ages 3-5 in this innovative setting!

Make sure to follow us on Facebook & Instagram (@thesyriafund) to stay up-to-date on our activities! We appreciate everything you do to support the communities we serve.

With gratitude,
The Syria Fund team

A Summer Update from The Syria Fund

Summer is in full swing for our beneficiaries in Jordan! Check out updates below and thank you as always for supporting The Syria Fund's important work for refugees in Jordan.

A New Campus for The Azraq School

This summer, we are thrilled to partner with the European-based NGO Emergency Architecture and Human Rights (EA-HR) to build a new campus for The Azraq School! EA-HR committed to build 100 classrooms for refugee children and, as part of this plan, they are constructing a new campus for us less than a mile down the road from our current school. EA-HR hired a local construction crew of Syrians and Jordanians and is training them, while they work, in sustainable building techniques. 

The new campus (Campus B) will include four classrooms, an IT lab, library, kitchen, and a sports field! Upon completion, it will host up to 200 Syrian and Jordanian children and youth and employ nearly 20 adults for the upcoming school year!

A special thank you for the generosity and partnership of the Moosa Family, our partners at EA-HR, HRJ and SAWA, WeWork NY, and everyone else who has made this expansion a reality! Many more updates to come throughout the summer so be sure to like us onFacebook for pictures, videos and more!

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Summer Camp at Campus A

A short walk up the road from the construction site, the summer program on Campus A is in full swing. Special classes, activities, games and more are offered in a camp format to our more than 110 students every day!

Recent activities have included: gardening, soccer club, art and music, IT presentations, reading in the library, and relay races!

Our education programs are 100% donor supported! Consider setting up a recurring donation today to support teacher salaries, school supplies and more!

Ongoing Humanitarian Aid Programming

Throughout Ramadan and the summer, The Syria Fund has continued our ongoing food and humanitarian aid distributions.

• 150+ food boxes were distributed to families in need throughout the month of June. With our partners, we delivered fresh chickens along with non-perishable items for families in advance of the Eid holiday.
• Our successful Mother’s Day campaign raised money to bring essential hygiene kits to 100+ moms.
• As always, we will continue to supply food, hygiene, and other critical items to families in need across Northern Jordan.

Volunteers in Action

This World Refugee Day, The Syria Fund teamed up with WeWork for two days of fundraising activities in New York City.

Across two different WeWork locations, the TSF team shared the story of The Azraq School's expansion and raised money to furnish the new classrooms! Thanks to the entire WeWork community for coming out and showing that you #StandWithRefugees!

Staying in Touch

If you’re interested in getting more regular updates from The Syria Fund, make sure to follow us on social media!

Thank you for all that you do to keep our programs going!

With gratitude,
The Syria Fund team

From our students at The Azraq School and our entire team at The Syria Fund: Ramadan Kareem! May your month be filled with happiness, love, and peace with family and loved ones. 

This Ramadan, we're distributing food boxes with staple items like rice, beans, oil and more to vulnerable families in Jordan. Learn more and donate a $35 food box today: