Syrian Refugee Crisis

Jamal and his classmates are learning how to promote peace in their school, and in their community, through World Vision’s peace-building initiatives in Iraq.

Twelve-year-old Jamal lives in Kirkuk, a diverse area of northern Iraq where people of many cultures and ethnicities live together. In his school of 600 students, there are Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Christians, and Muslims.

His area has been hit hard by the ongoing crisis. Tensions between different groups often run high, causing further instability and conflict. But Jamal has become a beacon of hope amid the turmoil. He’s part of a student group that World Vision began at his school, where he has learned to promote peace and acceptance among his peers.

“Now I cannot find a difference between me and the other ethnicities. I have changed a lot and they are my brothers—Kurds are my brothers, Turkmen are my brothers,” said Jamal. 

The principal at Jamal’s school, Wasa, agrees there has been significant change since the program began.

“Before World Vision, the students would say to me ‘that Kurd hit me’ or ‘that Arab was mean to me.’ After the
student groups, they are avoiding the problem from the start. The student groups meet regularly and prevent
these conflicts from happening.”

World Vision also initiated parent and teacher groups that develop and implement school improvement plans. Teachers have been trained in classroom management and peacebuilding strategies, which they are equipped to share with other teachers through their own training sessions. To increase social cohesion, the student and parent groups organize community events where everyone from different religions and ethnicities can come together to celebrate peace.

Jamal’s school hosted a Dabcha dance festival. The Dabcha or Dabka is a traditional danced performed all over the Middle East at weddings and other ceremonies. Each country and ethnicity have their own version of the dance. Jamal remembers dancing as a young child with his father at family parties. “I like dancing the dabcha... and I wanted to show my way of dancing. The festivals are a good way to understand each other and to know each other, and to start a relationship.”

Wasa expressed her desire to continue the groups. “We are the people who have felt and seen the change. From the educational part and teaching the students, but also teaching the community and bringing them together.”

World Vision is working with 48 schools across the Kirkuk region to improve the quality of education, increase social unity, and help out-ofschool children restart their education.

Child Protection and Education
Children across the crises in Syria and Iraq face many challenges. Often their days consist of being cooped up in their tents or wandering the camp. Some families resort to child labor to ease their fi nancial burden, or child marriage, which is sometimes considered the best way to protect and provide for their daughters. The children’s normal development is disrupted, and their rights are taken away.

Education is key to protecting children and helping them recover. Across the region, World Vision is providing educational opportunities to children, and advocating for their safety in many ways.

In camps across Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, World Vision installed solar panels to provide lighting that helps maintain safety at night, especially for women and girls who are vulnerable to assault. In Jordan’s Azraq camp, we created a 32-team soccer league for refugee children, which provides them with a safe and constructive outlet. In other areas, World Vision is training teachers, equipping parents with coping and parenting skills, and providing safe spaces for children to learn and play.

• WV_SYRIA_RESPONSE_2017_MAP.pdf (PDF)