Reina's Peace Fellowship in Jordan
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Hello all,
I'm Reina, a UCSB graduate from California who is about to return to the US from nearly a year teaching English in France. I am really happy to announce that I’ve been given the opportunity of a lifetime to spend 10 weeks (June-August) in Amman, Jordan this summer as an Advocacy Project Peace Fellow
http://www.advocacynet.org/fellows/peace-fellows-vision-and-history/.
I will be spending these 10 weeks in Jordan volunteering with Collateral Repair Project, an NGO aimed at providing assistance to Syrian and Iraqi refugees fleeing the violence in their home countries. https://www.collateralrepairproject.org/?page_id=946
We are currently facing the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, with around 4.8 million Syrians now displaced to other Middle Eastern countries and more than 6 million internally displaced in Syria (UNHCR). In Jordan alone, UNHCR reports upwards of 1.4 million displaced Syrians. Only 20% of those refugees live in refugee camps, so there are hundreds of thousands in urban centers like Amman. Collateral Repair Project provides refugees with emergency assistance, including food aid and housing aid. Providing basic aid is extremely important, but CRP goes beyond this by focusing on community building and education. It’s critical to remember that refugees once led normal lives and a sense of purpose and belonging contributes to a much higher quality of life for their communities.
I am personally extremely invested in this project for several reasons. My parents (and extended family) grew up experiencing civil war firsthand. My father’s family fled the conflict, putting their roots down in Colorado; my mother and her parents spent the entirety of the war in Tripoli, Lebanon. Due to my parents’ stories and their guidance, I have always understood the gravity of international conflict and the human costs of violence. Beyond this, one of Islam’s Five Pillars is Zakat, or the idea of charitable giving. Zakat is especially important during the Holy Month of Ramadan, which I will be spending in Amman. I have been lucky enough to live safely and securely, but many do not have that opportunity. So, I hope to give my time and hopefully, money, to help out the refugees in Jordan.
I am fundraising here for two things: 1. I estimate I will need about $3,500 to cover travel and housing costs for this fellowship. I am receiving a stipend from AP and hope to receive grant money to cover the bulk of the living and travel costs, but I will likely need to fundraise the difference. Any money I don’t use for lodging or travel will be donated to CRP. 2. More importantly, it is my goal to raise $2,000 to donate to CRP and the refugees I will be working with. I would appreciate any and all help to get me to Jordan, where I hope to make a real difference. For those who are wondering, the donations will be tax deductible. To do this, the Advocacy Project will donate the money in a lump sum to Collateral Repair Project and write individual tax exempt letters for your contributions. Please email me at [email redacted] with your full name, email, and/or mailing address to receive this letter. Thanks for reading and have a good day!
Love,
Reina
I'm Reina, a UCSB graduate from California who is about to return to the US from nearly a year teaching English in France. I am really happy to announce that I’ve been given the opportunity of a lifetime to spend 10 weeks (June-August) in Amman, Jordan this summer as an Advocacy Project Peace Fellow
http://www.advocacynet.org/fellows/peace-fellows-vision-and-history/.
I will be spending these 10 weeks in Jordan volunteering with Collateral Repair Project, an NGO aimed at providing assistance to Syrian and Iraqi refugees fleeing the violence in their home countries. https://www.collateralrepairproject.org/?page_id=946
We are currently facing the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, with around 4.8 million Syrians now displaced to other Middle Eastern countries and more than 6 million internally displaced in Syria (UNHCR). In Jordan alone, UNHCR reports upwards of 1.4 million displaced Syrians. Only 20% of those refugees live in refugee camps, so there are hundreds of thousands in urban centers like Amman. Collateral Repair Project provides refugees with emergency assistance, including food aid and housing aid. Providing basic aid is extremely important, but CRP goes beyond this by focusing on community building and education. It’s critical to remember that refugees once led normal lives and a sense of purpose and belonging contributes to a much higher quality of life for their communities.
I am personally extremely invested in this project for several reasons. My parents (and extended family) grew up experiencing civil war firsthand. My father’s family fled the conflict, putting their roots down in Colorado; my mother and her parents spent the entirety of the war in Tripoli, Lebanon. Due to my parents’ stories and their guidance, I have always understood the gravity of international conflict and the human costs of violence. Beyond this, one of Islam’s Five Pillars is Zakat, or the idea of charitable giving. Zakat is especially important during the Holy Month of Ramadan, which I will be spending in Amman. I have been lucky enough to live safely and securely, but many do not have that opportunity. So, I hope to give my time and hopefully, money, to help out the refugees in Jordan.
I am fundraising here for two things: 1. I estimate I will need about $3,500 to cover travel and housing costs for this fellowship. I am receiving a stipend from AP and hope to receive grant money to cover the bulk of the living and travel costs, but I will likely need to fundraise the difference. Any money I don’t use for lodging or travel will be donated to CRP. 2. More importantly, it is my goal to raise $2,000 to donate to CRP and the refugees I will be working with. I would appreciate any and all help to get me to Jordan, where I hope to make a real difference. For those who are wondering, the donations will be tax deductible. To do this, the Advocacy Project will donate the money in a lump sum to Collateral Repair Project and write individual tax exempt letters for your contributions. Please email me at [email redacted] with your full name, email, and/or mailing address to receive this letter. Thanks for reading and have a good day!
Love,
Reina
Organizer
Reina Sultan
Organizer
Huntington Beach, CA