Goodwill Campaign distributes aid in Palestinian refugee camp

AMMAN — Al Hussein Refugee Camp, home to some 31,000 residents, was the focus of the Goodwill Campaign's first mission in the fasting month of Ramadan.

HRH Princess Basma, the president of the campaign's higher committee, visited the camp on Thursday and handed out 500 food parcels to  underprivileged families.

She also distributed educational assistance to 20 students and financial support to the camp's women committee to establish a food production project.

The princess reiterated the campaign's commitment to reaching out to families across Jordan.

Palestinian Affairs Department Director General Mahmoud Aqrabawi highlighted projects implemented in the camp by the Goodwill Campaign and their impact on mitigating the hardships of refugees.

Princess Basma, along with members of the campaign's higher committee, paid a visit to a family in the camp that is in urgent need of support.

The father of the nine-member family  suffers health issues that prevent him from working.

Also during the visit, Princess Basma met with students and members of an orphan society in the camp.

Established in 2009, more than 200 orphans benefit from the society's educational, extra-curricular activities, in addition to financial and psychosocial support.

The facility received assistance to develop its IT unit, while Princess Basma announced plans to initiate a twinning programme between the society and Mabarrat Um Al Hussein.

Al Hussein Refugee Camp is one of four camps established in Jordan after 1948 to accommodate refugees who fled Palestine as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. 

The camp was set up in 1952 for 8,000 refugees on an area of 0.42 sq.km. northwest of Amman. 

Since then, refugees have replaced the original tents with more durable shelters and UNRWA provided roofing.

The camp has since grown into an urban-like quarter and has become part of Amman, according to the UNRWA website.