My first visit to a refugee camp was a huge shock for me. On social media and the news you already see how bad their living condition is. When you think you are prepared to see their condition you are not. I started to see everything from very near with my own eyes, you can feel their pain even more. Children on bare feet when it is at least 45 degrees, people with disabilities who cannot leave their tents, overcrowded tents, poor sanitation and hygiene conditions. For a human rights student this is the place to get a heart attack.
Once a week a colleague and I walked to the other side of the camp where not a lot of people go because it is too warm to walk that far. We were visiting every tent to introduce our organization and to let them know that we were here to help them and that they were not alone. Every time when visiting these people I came back with a heart broken into a thousand pieces. The first week I felt depressed, sad and worthless. I did not know what to do, where to start and what I wanted to achieve. I already was part of working groups and was working on policy recommendations, however I wanted to do more. I learned that you cannot help everyone, however do whatever you can in your power to help at least a few people. I decided to concentrate on the children, because seeing them in such a situation was hurting me the most. Thus I decided to start English classes.
When I started working at a NGO I did not plan to give English classes nor to work with children that much, however when you are in a country where there are problems everywhere but a shortage of people who can help, you do not think you just do. This was something that just happen, you did not think or plan it you just do it, because it is a necessity.
When I saw children, playing with rocks and dirt, or sitting in their tents the whole day. Nothing to play with nor to write on. I came with the idea to teach them English which is not only educational and good for their communication skills and future but also a fun thing to do and helps getting the kids' mind off their current situation. In a refugee camp education is really their only hope.
It is important that refugee children receive schooling because it creates a sense of hope and security, which most of the time is lacking in refugee settings. After they have faced times of conflict and loss, educational activities play a very important role in their lives. Education does not only teach them to communicate with others and helps to create the human social capital needed for development but also provides physical and psychosocial protection for the children.
The first class was an introductory class for every child to get to know each other and where they come from. We started with a class of eight children. I used two songs and videos for the first few classes to teach the children numbers and the alphabet. In the beginning they were all very shy and did not sing along with the songs, however when they saw the stickers of golden stars which they would get if I would hear them sing loudly, they all started singing. Eighty percent of the children memorized the numbers right away. Everyone who was near our cabin came to check what was going on. These kids made everyone happy, by just being children and doing what they should be doing. Everyone got their homework and left class. The first class was a success.
We started with eight children and after the first few classes it grew even up to thirty children. They all received English books and writing equipment. They were now getting their mind of their current situation and were more busy with their homework, trying to be the best pupil in class and making friends.
When summer was ending we got the great news that a school was opening inside the refugee camp. There would be two shifts, in the morning for the younger children and in the afternoon for the teenagers. The great news was indeed that a school was opening which meant that I did not have to worry anymore about the education of the children and I could focus on other projects, however stopping the English classes was very hard for me especially because we got a very good bond with the children and I hoped that it was not going to break.
The children liked the news of the opening of the school however not that our classes would come to an end, however we found a good way to make it up to them by organizing a day outside the camp for. Which I will write about in my next blog.
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Lovely thing to do for them !
you are a very nice men. People should get exemple of u .
resteemed!
I do my best to give these people the threatment they deserve and thank you very much for your kind words!
what a great article @omertality !
Thank you so much, please follow if you would like to read more about my experience in Iraq.
got a good heart
We need more people like you! It's amazing how you bring light to these little souls, I truly adore you.
It's a shame the truth doesn't get told. I wish you'd all show the full truth. These very same refugees have caused a crime and rape epidemic throughout Europe. Nobody talks about the little children being brutally raped by these refugees. Nobody talks about the violence in Malmo, Sweden. Refugees lobbing grenades in the street.
You want more refugees?
Listen..She is helping children. You are comparing apples, in fact bad apples, to oranges.I hear what you are saying, but what she is doing, is not related to the disaster in Europe. If anything she is prevent future disasters by educating them.
@ozmaga It's sad to see that this is your way of thinking about people in need, or shall I say people in general? I can truly see the lack of knowledge here.
There are dozens, and when I say dozens I truly mean dozens and dozens of people like you and me, whom aren't a refugee, that commit crimes like rape and surely even worse! Are we called "the very same people" as these brutal ones that commit such crimes? This doesn't give me or you the right to brush all human beings as rapist or murderers if a few decided to be wreckless...
It's fact!
Start facing reality.
Go to Malmo, Sweden and live the refugees welcome dream.
The country has been destroyed!
Thank you @Rocketscience for your sweet words.
@Ozmaga, I think you unfortunately got the whole message wrong. I am telling my truth, I am sharing my experience with refugees in Iraq. If I had seen or witnessed the allegations you are mentioning regarding refugees I would have shared it here, but I did not. there is a kurdish saying that says not every finger is the same which means not every person is the same. just because a few refugees are committing crimes does not mean that every refugee should be banned because of the crimes of others. Please the next time you write a comment, does not matter where, think first whether your allegations make sense.
"You want more refugees"? No, I do not want more refugees, because no one deserves to be a refugee, no one deserves to go through that journey to get to a safe country. I do not want suffering for these people, I want more peace and love between people, less hate and discrimination, I have seen and felt their suffering, no human being should be in such a situation. They did not choose to be refugees, they did not choose to flee from their warm homes to a cold tent. I hope with this comment I have been more clear with my intentions to write this article.
Don't forget the acid attacks either.
http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2017/06/26/aspiring-model-severely-wounded-in-brutal-acid-attack-while-celebrating-her-21st-birthday/?nb=1
In Europe women can't walk the streets safely.
@ozmaga I won't be discussing commen sense with you. I'd like to remember you the recent acid attacks whom were performed by non refugees, but by angry ex-boyfriends. Still think "refugees" are a danger to woman?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1221077/Katie-Piper-Acid-attack-victim-bravely-shows-face-disfigured-boyfriend-Daniel-Lynch.html
You can't walk the street anywhere safe.
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Would break my heart to, no one should have to live like that
I have no training, no titles, only a desire to help. How do I help without having to jump through hoops?
You can do a lot of help, but what do you prefer?
its really good things @omertality