Just eight miles from the Syrian border lies the Za’atari Village refugee camp. What began in 2012 as a temporary solution for 5,000 refugees fleeing the Syrian Civil War quickly expanded into one of the world’s largest refugee camps. By 2013, its population had soared to nearly 200,000.
Against all odds, the community has built a semblance of normalcy amidst the turmoil of displacement. I spent a week visiting the camp with English chemist Anthony Ryan OBE, who has been instrumental in bringing scientific and technological solutions to improve the quality of life in the camp.
The title of my series, ‘Twelve Years,’ reflects the long journey that most of Za’atari’s inhabitants have endured since the beginning of the Syrian conflict—and how, in incredibly arduous circumstances, it’s possible to create a community that stands as an example of resilience and hope in the face of unimaginable adversity.
