Neither has life been easy, nor has it been fair for Syrian refugees, whose seven-year civil war has roiled the world. Even finding refuge from the warzone, their situation remains precarious.
But the youth of the Zaatari Camp in Jordan have come up with simple and cost-effective innovations that can help the families overcome problems that they face on a daily basis in refugee camps.
This comes as a part of the ‘Startup Zataari’ programme, a collaborative effort by UNICEF and The One Foundation which aims to showcase the talent of the youth residing in these camps.
Some of these inventions include a lamp to combat power blackouts, a homemade solar panel, and a water filtration system.
I’ve invented the study lamp because we face long hours of power cuts at night and during the day inside Zaatari camp. This invention can help all kinds of people, especially students, as there is no electricity between 5:00 pm until 3:00 am.Deena Askar, Syrian refugee from Dera
Some of these projects will also be implemented in the caravans where the families reside.
The 2-day event with aspiring young entrepreneurs also included workshops on fashion design, wood-carving, artificial intelligence (AI), photo exhibitions and a product gallery of things made in Zaatari camp and Azraq camp.
Startup Zaatari is part of the wider UNICEF X ONE Humanitarian Changemakers Lab, a new partnership to equip vulnerable youth in Jordan with the knowledge and business skills needed to design their own solutions to everyday challenges and to also promote entrepreneurship and jobs.
It involves many programs, including one for young people between the ages of 14 and 18 which consists of a 12-week course that takes students through a process of identifying problems in their own communities and implementing solutions.
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