Amman – This week, IOM, the UN Migration Agency, and its partner NICCOD, a Japanese Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), distributed cash assistance to 1,500 Syrian female headed households or families having at least one member living with disabilities in Zarqa, Jordan. 

Two vouchers totalling 70 Jordanian Dinars (JD) are being distributed to every family to purchase food and other essential items. This distribution is in addition to the winterization and regular assistance provided by other NGOs and UN agencies to these refugee families. 

“I will buy with the vouchers, olive oil, sugar and rice,” said Aisha, a refugee from Deraa living in Zarqa since 2013. “We are seven at home: two daughters, four sons and me. Only one of them works; and one of them is sick, so this assistance is very useful for us. We face a lot of challenges to pay our bills, and during winter the house is very cold and humid, so we spend more on heating,” said Aisha. 

Bringing assistance to vulnerable refugees and their families is an integral part of a one year IOM project funded by the Government of Japan. The Ambassador of Japan to Jordan Hidenao Yanagi, conducted on 10 January a field visit to NICCOD’s Center in Zarqa accompanied by Enrico Ponziani, IOM Jordan’s Chief of Mission. The visit allowed Ambassador Yanagi to monitor the progress of the refugees’ assistance activity, as well as meet families at the distribution point. 

“Even though it has been seven years since the onset of the Syrian crisis, vulnerable Syrian refugees in Jordan are still facing very severe situations especially during the harsh winter season when the most vulnerable face greater worries and difficulties in daily survival,” stated Ambassador Yanagi. “Therefore, the Government of Japan provided its support for IOM to deliver this most needed assistance to vulnerable Syrians in Zarqa,” he concluded.  

In 2017, the Government of Japan extended a grant of over USD 600,000 to IOM to provide humanitarian support to Syrian refugees in Jordan. 

“The support of the Government of Japan has been fundamental during the last years to bring assistance to the Syrian refugees and to back the efforts of the Government of Jordan in responding to the Syria crisis,” said Ponziani. “We are also glad to collaborate with Japanese NGOs particularly NICCOD in implementing this distribution,” he added. 

For more information, contact Laura Sisniega in IOM Jordan, Tel: +962 79 7048167, Email: lsisniegacrespo@iom.int