The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) inaugurated on Monday Husn Camp playground in Jordan through a generous contribution from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), via the KfW Development Bank.

The ceremony brought together Mr. Olaf Becker, Director of UNRWA Affairs Jordan, Ms. Kordula Mehlhart, Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy, Dr. Mark Schwiete, KfW Amman Office Director and Dr. Assia Al Dhabbi, KfW Amman Senior Coordinator, in the presence of Department of Palestine Affairs representatives, the local community and UNRWA officials.

This playground initiative was part of the Regional Programme for the Improvement of Living Conditions of Palestine Refugee Camps (REPAC), which aims to rehabilitate key infrastructure and priority areas identified by the local community within Jerash, Talbieh, Marka and al Husn camps.

Mehlhart, Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Jordan, said, “We are glad to contribute towards the achievement of UNRWA’s mandate across all fields of operation, with the overarching objective to leave no Palestine refugee behind. I am impressed by the participative approach and wish this space for children and their families will develop into a safe place for joy and exchange giving hope for a better future.”

Since its implementation in 2012, a total of US$ 25 million has been allocated to Jordan, leading to significant infrastructure upgrades such as the rehabilitation of shelters, markets, roads, and the construction and refurbishment of schools. Husn playground once unused, has now been expanded to accommodate up to 700 people and will benefit 35,000 people in the camp.

Becker, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Jordan, said, “We are thrilled by the positive impact of this initiative, which has empowered the children of Husn camp to become stewards of their own playground and cultivate a deeper understanding of environmental responsibility. Throughout the process, students, teachers, and community members have come together to transform an abandoned space into a safe and enjoyable playground for the whole community.”

Al Husn camp was one of the six ‘emergency’ camps set up in 1968 for 12,500 Palestine Refugees and displaced people from the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip as a result of the 1967 Arab Israeli war. The camp lies 80 kilometres north of Amman.