The distribution of more than 1,000 backpacks stuffed with school supplies encouraged and cheered Jordanian children and Syrian refugee children in Ajloon and Jarash, Jordan in September.
In a festive atmosphere, the children enjoyed cookies and sweets, and had their faces painted. Some 100 children also received athletic wear, dresses or girl/boy scout uniforms.
The director of one school gave Zakat Foundation of America a certificate of appreciation while the principal of the other school sent a thank you letter.
The influx of Syrian refugee children into Jordan has stressed the educational system so that both Syrian and Jordanian children are in need of support to persevere in school. Zakat Foundation of America staff and volunteers distributed backpacks and school supplies to celebrate the children’s return to school and alleviate the financial burden on families at the start of the academic year.
The educational challenges facing Syrian refugee children are extreme. The United Nations reported in 2013 that a whopping 56 percent of the Syrian refugee children in Jordan were not in school. Going to school gives refugee children a return to normalcy and a safe place to prepare for the future. With the help of generous donors like you, Zakat Foundation of America will continue to promote the education of Syria’s children and all the children in the region.