JORDAN—Global Hope Network International (GHNI) provides aid to Syrians in and around the Zatari refugee camp through the leadership of GHNI Middle East Regional Leader, Jamal Hashweh, native of Jordan. With numbers of Syrians seeking refuge daily, GHNI seeks to bring help and hope to this displaced nation.
Syrians began seeking refuge in Jordan earlier last year when the conflict began in their country. The need for refuge has only accelerated with lack of resolution in Syria. As the conflict became more complicated, refugees began flooding Jordan and neighboring countries, both legally and illegally, reports Hashweh. “Over 40,000 people have been killed, double or triple that amount of people being injured, and about 150,000 people have been taken prisoner.”
To add to the gravity of the situation, 42,000 Syrians now reside in the Zatari camp, alone; about a 1 ½ hour drive north of Amman. “It’s hard to keep track of the exact number with people coming and leaving every day,” Hashweh reports. The camp provides schooling for the children, medical care, water, and electricity for about one fifth of the refugees in Jordan.
Some of the refugees are also living in homes; sharing flats or small houses. “Up to twenty people may share a two bedroom house,” says Hashweh. “They come with very few belongings, which is a concern as winter gets colder and it snows.”
Where in the summer GHNI provided fans to the refugees, the winter means donations of over 1,500 blankets through GHNI to keep families warm. These donations are in addition to the food parcels distributed regularly.
“Families with children are an additional concern,” Hashweh tells, “because they have special needs. A family with six children can run a washing machine all day long.” Almost 50 washing machines have been donated through GHNI to such families.
GHNI has also helped some Syrian families with their rent. “It’s a really sensitive issue because it’s an ongoing thing that doesn’t stop,” says Hashweh. That’s why the team works with local partner organizations who know the families and their needs. “We determine through them and with them who to help with rent money.”
GHNI’s mission is “to bring help and hope to the hidden and hurting.” So, not only does GHNI’s team provide food and other physical needs, they also bring hope. Hashweh says, “We sit with them. Many of them are not cared for. The trauma is great and so we care for them, listen to them, and hear about their situation. They are very touched by our personal care. We try to help but we also give hope.”
About Global Hope Network International
Global Hope Network International (GHNI), is a non-profit, private humanitarian aid organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. GHNI believes that it’s possible to bring not only hope, but change, to the poorest villages of the world. GHNI began through a project in 1999 to help an Afghan refugee camp in Pakistan. This effort made such an impression on the nearly three million refugees that stories are told all over the region of the big hearts of the small team. That set the stage for additional work and the official launching of Global Hope Network International, “Bringing help and hope to the hidden and hurting.”
Since then, over 100 other projects have opened doors for GHNI to bring sustainable and transformational assistance to communities in Afghanistan, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Turkey and many others. GHNI has partnered with remote villages and national organizations to help bring sustainable community based transformation for some of the poorest of the poor in 40+ countries in the world. Through these projects GHNI has developed their method of Transformational Community Development.
Contact
To learn more about GHNI’s efforts toward the Syrian refugees, please contact:
Jeff Power
