When designing programs at our two centers, CRP relies first and foremost on feedback from beneficiaries. After all, they know best what they need most. In this spirit, we asked people signing up for vouchers at the new downtown center what kind of courses and activities they would be most interested in. Here’s what they said.
An overwhelming majority of beneficiaries ask us for English classes. English is an invaluable skill for many of CRP’s beneficiaries, not only for future economic prospects but also for general communication with the outside world. “English is without a doubt the most important thing after vouchers,” Shahad, who fled Eritrea, says. She came to Jordan a few years ago with her family and settled near Amman’s city center. “I’m doing everything I can for my children. Education is the most important thing for their future.” Shahad herself would also like to learn better English and attend computer classes, and was delighted when she heard that CRP will offer daycare at the new center to support parents who want to participate in courses. Her two sons, Amjed and Thamer, will get to meet new friends and learn basic skills in a playful way while Shahad improves her English.
There is a growing number of refugees from African states and Yemen who flee their countries and look for safety in Amman. Since international help has predominantly focussed on the vast numbers of people displaced in the Syrian war, these African communities have largely been neglected. “We feel like the international community doesn’t care much about us,” says Ausama from Sudan. “We are very thankful that CRP helps people from different nationalities.” The young African man was especially interested in hearing about “ways to get educated, to improve my life.” Since refugees mostly aren’t legally allowed to work in Jordan, their economic situation is precarious. To get by, they often trade in their skills for goods and informal payment from their own communities and neighbors. Ausama from Sudan asked for vocational programs like computer or cellphone-repair courses.
Even though the new center’s main purpose is to support neglected urban refugee communities from Yemen and those from Sudan and other African countries, CRP opens its doors for everyone regardless of nationality. “We are happy to find that our goal of providing a space for the critically underserved minority refugee communities is already showing first results,” says CRP’s Interim Deputy Director, Samer.
Indeed, the crowds at the center during voucher distributions and muraja’at could not be more diverse. CRP is also proud to serve Jordanians in need and to foster social cohesion between the local and other communities. Jordanian women recently came to the new center asking for Beauty classes, a successful program CRP has conducted for the past year at our other center in Hashemi Shamali.
Since the recent opening downtown, our volunteer staff has been busy registering new people for food vouchers. “But once our programs at the new center begin next year, we plan to be a safe space people in need can turn to, helping as many families as possible,” Samer is confident.
CRP is a small grassroots organization that doesn’t receive large government grants. In order to help people at the new center, we rely mainly on individual donors. For the price of one latte, you can provide snacks for one of our programs at the new center. The money we raise today will help us plan how many programs we are able to roll out in the coming months. Donate today.
