Creating jobs for women in Jarash refugee camp

Asli Project
Asli project was started in Gaza camp to create work opportunities for women and combat gender violence. Making olive oil soap is a cultural activity and a part of our Palestinian heritage, and the women are naturally skilled and have a love of the craft. They make 100% natural olive oil soap inside the camp.
We hope Asli creates a sustainable income for refugee women to be able to support their families and not be fully dependent on charities and NGO support. Especially after UNRWA, the only agency supporting Palestinians withdrew its support.
 
Our team
Our team consists of 4 refugee women from Jerash camp located in Jordan
 
The funds will be used to buy the ingredients, pay the women's wages, and develop the project.


Gaza Camp

The inhabitants of Jarash Camp in Jordan are refugees from Gaza and their descendants. They are not legally recognized by any country, belonging neither to Palestine nor Jordan. Instead, they are given 2-year temporary Jordanian passports, remaining trapped in a state of limbo for generations.

They escaped war in 1967 on foot, walking from Gaza until they arrived in Jordan. They were provided 750 square meters- less than a kilometer of space - in northern Jordan by the Roman Ruins of Jerash. It was intended to be temporary but now many generations have been born there and nearly 45,000 people inhabit the camp. The camp is overcrowded and bursting at its seams, but restrictive government policies have made escape nearly impossible.

Gaza Camp residents are not allowed to be officially employed, schooled nor are they provided health care. They live on aid provided to them by the UN, however, a decline in UN funding and the increase in Jordan’s Syrian refugee population after the war meant the camp was left in extreme poverty. The lack of opportunity and pressure led to a restless population and crime, alcohol and drugs increased as the camp tried to cope.