Volunteer work

Kids in Karama organization: The kids in the refugee camp seem to be happy to have a place where they can come, relax and participate to different kind of activities. It doesn’t look like the kids can enjoy much activity in the camp or at school. So Karama initiatives are really appreciated by the kids and the parents. Despite the language barrier we manage to communicate with the kids: most of them learn English at school, and some told me they have improved their languages skills at Karama by discussing with the volunteers and by participating to the free English courses (given by native english speakers volunteers). The kids were also more than happy to help us improve our Arabic skills J while we were spending time together (making craft works, painting or playing...).

All the kids and teenagers were polite and respected Karama’s volunteers. However, I couldn’t help but notice the tension between the kids sometimes: when you start distributing materials for activities the kids will fight to get it first, they often fight  for different kind of reasons and I had to separate the kids involved (to stop the fighting going on), and this happens few times a day. I felt tensions, nervosity at times: it was manageable but it makes me sad to see that with the entire situation going on they have to fight each other. I wonder if all this tension I have witnessed is linked to their current situation living in a refugee camp (which is a very difficult situation).

I enjoyed talking to young adults and teenagers and asked them how they see the future and what they want to do when they will grow up. Even for the young adults who go to Uni, they do feel that the future is very uncertain for them. It’s quite difficult to project yourself in the future and think about what you really want to do with your life when you are living in a refugee camp. I have met a Palestinian volunteer at Karama and he’s trying to start a project to start breaking this tendency. He wants to help children start thinking of their future and start thinking of a possible career. The project will allow kids to express themselves, to explain what they like, and to help them pick a career or a field which will match their taste. This will also involve visits to different centres, museums, sciences library, hospitals (to meet up with doctors, nurses…)… I think that this kind of project will suit Karama objectives as the kids need to improve their communication skills and start thinking of the future in a more positive way.