nate 
JORDAN : Hamda, a Syrian refugee,
has become a team leader
At 31 years old, Hamda supervises a team of 86 people at a waste sorting center set up
by Oxfam in the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. (January 2023)
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A difficult journey for Hamda
A challenging journey for Hamda Hamda’s fate would have been very different without your support. Nine years ago, this courageous 31-year-old mother had to embark on a
perilous journey alone with her infant to escape the war in Syria. Imagine going through sandstorms and bombings with a baby. Her testimony is truly astonishing.
“We left our home and our land. The journey to the camp was terrible. My son had pneumonia… I didn’t know much about the camp. It felt like I was going to my grave, being forced into a place I didn’t want to be. Once in the Za’atari camp, there were people trying to deceive or exploit refugees with ‘jobs or volunteer opportunities.’ I know women who work on farms near the camp. They leave at dawn, work long hours, and sometimes the employer doesn’t pay them. I don’t like to see people being exploited… I like to help people, even with a word, especially those who are alone. Maybe I’m different because I have to be both a mother and a father to my son. I have no choice but to be strong.”
A strong will to help her community
Hamda eventually found refuge in the Za’atari camp in Jordan. She quickly lifted her head and seized a job opportunity provided by Oxfam. It was a turning point in her life. Thanks to her skills, perseverance, several training programs offered by Oxfam, and the support of our valuable donors, she is now a team leader at one of Oxfam’s waste sorting centers. She supervises 86 people and essential operations. These operations enable the refugees in this camp to live in decent sanitary conditions and prevent the spread of diseases
“Over the months, I’ve learned to differentiate between those who want to help or deceive. In 2014, I started volunteering with Oxfam and understood the concept of protection. I was able to advise other women on how to apply for similar opportunities and protect themselves from exploitation.
Now I oversee an operation involving 86 people. The fact that a woman leads the team is a source of relief for the other women. They always tell me that they feel safer and that it makes their families feel more comfortable about allowing them to work.
This job and previous ones have helped me to become what I am today, to become independent and active in my community and to provide for my child. I believe my experience is one of success, hope, innovation and meaning.”
A strong will to help her community
Hamda eventually found refuge in the Za’atari camp in Jordan. She quickly lifted her head and seized a job opportunity provided by Oxfam. It was a turning point in her life. Thanks to her skills, perseverance, several training programs offered by Oxfam, and the support of our valuable donors, she is now a team leader at one of Oxfam’s waste sorting centers. She supervises 86 people and essential operations. These operations enable the refugees in this camp to live in decent sanitary conditions and prevent the spread of diseases
“Over the months, I’ve learned to distinguish between those who want to help and those who want to deceive. In 2014, I started volunteering with Oxfam and understood the
concept of protection. I was able to advise other women on how to apply for similar opportunities and protect themselves from exploitation.
Now, I oversee an operation that involves 86 people. The fact that a woman leads the team is a source of relief for other women. They always tell me that they feel safer and that it makes their families more comfortable allowing them to work.
This job, along with previous ones, has helped me become who I am today, to become independent and active in my community, and to provide for my child’s needs. I believe my experience is a mix of success, hope, innovation, and purpose.”
About the Jordanian Za’atari Camp
Located about forty kilometers from the Syrian border, the Jordanian Za’atari camp is home to over 83,000 refugees who have managed to escape the war in Syria. Opened in July 2012, the camp initially hosted a group of 450 people. Just over a year later, it
accommodated nearly 120,000.
Over the years, tents have been replaced with prefab
shelters. Roads, schools, shops, and community centers have been established. Today, the camp consists of 12 districts where thousands of children have been born.
Despite these facilities, living conditions remain precarious. Support from humanitarian
organizations is essential to meet the basic needs of the population. It is in this context that Oxfam has launched a recycling project to manage waste while providing employment opportunities for refugees, such as Hamda.
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