Refugees’ Art and Crafts Healing Centre

Abstract

According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports, 102,000+ of refugees are resettled worldwide in 2017, 57% of the refugees come from Syria, Afghanistan and South Sudan. The number of the Syrian refugees represents more than half of all Syrians where they have been displaced by war. Approximately 140,000 Syrians live in two camps: Za’atari and Azraq in Jordan. Nearly 50% of all registered refugees are under the age of 18. Although education is an essential tool of empowerment and it is especially important for young people, these children are out of schools, where an entire generation’s future is at risk. This research aims to explore and examine a model to create a stronger connection between the refugees and community. It relies on creating a refugee’s art and craft healing centre trying to bridge the gap between the refugees and community. The centre’s role will be teaching young refugees' skills, displaying and marketing their products. Recovering the children after trauma and healing them by art and other activities, providing them with a peaceful environment that will reduce stress level. The model will be designed to provide a flexible structure as a mobile element which helps reducing huge costs needed for camps’ infrastructure by having the capacity to be used to serve different camps. It is hoped that this study will improve the learning techniques, providing different crafts, helping in exporting their products and have their own income, increasing the benefits in refugees’ camps, and integrate them with the community.