The Christian Science Monitor

In Jordan, UN tries helping refugees find a missing piece: community

Hag Ali (far l.) from Sudan and Amar Asfour (second l.) from Syria discuss upcoming events with colleagues at the Nuzha Community Support Center in Amman, Jordan, on July 25, 2018. The center is a pilot project by the UN and JOHUD to help Jordan’s diverse refugee groups forge a community and empower them to teach and learn from each other.

A newcomer to this city, Hag Ali was drowning in a sea of people.

A refugee from Darfur, Sudan, he initially landed in the Jordanian capital after a whirlwind 24 hours in which he was told he could flee his homeland and was placed on a plane to Amman.

Without family or friends for the very first time, the city consumed him. Despite being in the heart of a capital of 4 million, Mr. Ali says he had never felt more alone.

His neighbors were Jordanians and – from what he could tell from their accents – Syrians and Iraqis. Their eyes would meet while browsing the aisle at the corner grocery store, and they would nod to each

Not defined by 'refugee'Self-empowerment'True community'

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