Project in Amman, Jordan:
We Play and Masahit Alhayy Placemaking start safe play project in Jordan with new partner; official kick off meeting 15 December 2023
It has been quite a while since our last update. We had to shift our plans a little bit , but now, Masahit Alhayy Placemaking and We Play will finally start the safe play project ‘Belonging through Play’. Our official kick off meeting took place on 15 December 2023. The project will be implemented at a so-called Informal Tented Settlement (ITS) for refugees near Amman in Jordan. The project will be carried out in close collaboration with our new partner, non-governmental organization Mateen.
In Jordan there are more than 2 million refugees from different countries, including Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq. Many of them live in official refugee camps, but most of them reside outside of the camps in urban and rural areas. There is also a range of refugees that stay at informal settlements. These are mostly located in rural or peri-urban areas. The inhabitants are often poor and lack access to basic facilities, such as adequate shelter, water, food, sanitation, education and healthcare. In particular for children life is hard at these settlements. The Jordanian government in cooperation with UNICEF, the EU Trust Fund and some non-governmental organizations tries to provide support services to the settlements throughout the country.
ITS 615 is located at the Aljizah district in the southern part of Amman. Around 1.000 people live here including 376 children. There is hardly any access to education for the children. There are no safe play spaces. Mateen is the only organization working at the ITS. It manages an educational centre where children receive basic educational training.
Masahit Alhayy and Mateen will design and build a safe and sustainable play area for the children. The community and in particular the children will be actively involved in the design and building process. Local builders and materials will be used. The play area will include play instruments, but also places for resting. It is the intention of Masahit Alhayy and We Play that the local community supported by Mateen will maintain the play space in the future.
The project will last for six months and receives financial support from the Netherlands among others.
Masahit Alhayy is also still in contact with the Ruseifa community in Amman. After the successful postcard workshops, we are still looking at future opportunities to develop a play space for children at this community as well.
Help us to build a unique play space for children in Jordan!
More info at: www.weplayfoundationln.org
We Play is committed to support the design and construction of safe, accessible and sustainable play areas for children worldwide.
