‘Benefit concerts collect JD8,000 for planned art centre at Jerash camp’

AMMAN — A local campaign led by volunteers is planning to open an art centre at the Jerash Refugee Camp for Palestinians after collecting JD8,000 through two benefit concerts held late last week.

Dubbed One Love Organisation, the Jordanian campaign teamed up with Arab Group for the Protection of Nature in organising two musical shows performed by Jordanian choir Dozan wa Awtar to raise funds for establishing this centre at the camp, locally known as the Gaza camp, where more than 29,000 registered Palestine refugees live, according to UNRWA. 

Hiba Khoury, one of the founding members of the campaign, said their frequent visits to the camp brought their attention to the urgent need for such a facility at the camp, which was established in 1968.

“We are four volunteers, and the love of Gaza brought us together to launch a campaign three years ago to make living conditions in the camp better,” she told The Jordan Time in an interview ahead of the fund-raising show.

Khoury recalled that this initiative started by a simple activity — a winter campaign. After more people found out about the initiative, the volunteers managed to secure funds for their activities and they started arranging for the maintenance of the roofs of houses at the camp.

Citing a 2013 report, UNRWA said Jerash camp is the poorest among the 10 Palestine refugee camps in Jordan, with 52.7 per cent of the refugees having an income below the national poverty line of JD814.

Jerash camp also has the highest number of Palestine refugees who do not have health insurance, with 88 per cent not covered by any health insurance, according to the UNRWA website.

The benefit concerts on Thursday and Friday helped raise more than JD8,000 from the 400 audience members who attended the performances, according to Khoury.

“This centre will serve camp residents by offering them a venue to learn and practise art and music, and also discover the hidden talents of children and young people. We are also planning to establish a library in the camp,” she added.

Nedy Muna, Dozan wa Awtar choir manager, said the group decided to volunteer by offering these performances because they wanted to do something positive for Gazans, adding that music is the only way that brings joy and happiness to the faces of people who are in need amidst difficult times.

Basheer Abu Surdanah, who was born at the camp 30 years ago, said the initiative will be of great help amidst the limited facilities offering spaces for art and culture at the camp.

He noted that these projects will help expose the hidden talents of young people at the camp.