Where we Work

In the years since Syria’s civil war began in March 2011, millions of refugees have fled into neighboring countries. Thus, our current work and projects are situated in two countries hosting Syrian refugees: Jordan & Turkey.

Living in isolated shelters in insecure neighborhoods, they must contend with a lack of basic amenities, poor access to physical and mental health services, insufficient avenues of formal schooling for their children, and acute economic insecurity.

These refugees require integrated health, mental health, educational, legal and social services to facilitate their resettlement and their eventual integration into their host countries.

Labeled by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) as “the largest political, humanitarian and development challenge of our time,” the Syrian refugee crisis has reached a pivotal point. Millions have fled to the neighboring countries of Jordan and Turkey, which are struggling to support this rapid influx of refugees.

The governments of Turkey and Jordan have announced strategic plans to link humanitarian and development perspectives to better meet the needs of Syrian refugees in their countries.

Overwhelmed by the growing influx, it is challenging for domestic and international relief agencies to think beyond the day-to-day needs of the refugee population.

The current international paradigm of relief-and-resettlement lacks initiatives to foster refugee integration in host countries. It also doesn’t incentivize host communities to incorporate refugees in their long-term development plans.

With this perspective in mind, our proposed project aims to address this vacuum and create opportunities for research and educational advancement, in order to contribute to the creation of a new paradigm of refugee integration that fosters development of host societies using the immense potential of refugees.