NEIRAB REFUGEE CAMP

Neirab camp is the largest official camp in Syria and is situated 13 kilometres east of the city of Aleppo near Aleppo airport. The camp was established between 1948-1950 for refugees from northern Palestine on 148,000 square metres in and around army barracks constructed by the Allied Forces during World War II. The refugees found shelter in the barracks, which they modified as best they could to provide some privacy and to accommodate the needs of their growing families.

Today, the majority of the refugees are casual labourers. Others work informally as street vendors.

While UNRWA has been able to make essential improvements and maintenance to the barracks, the housing situation in Neirab remains deplorable, and many of the shelters are the most unhealthy and unsafe in the Syria Field. The poor construction of the barracks results in scorching temperatures in summer and freezing conditions in winter. Water leakage and rodent infestation remain a problem for the refugees. The quality of life is also affected by the lack of privacy. The camp's streets are the only place for children to play and even they are often no wider than the span of a child's arms. UNRWA's main priority in the camp is to provide better housing.

Based on a Swiss-funded feasibility study, UNRWA and the Syrian Government have agreed on an improvement plan in two phases, involving the Neirab camp and the nearby Ein el-Tal camp. The first phase of the Neirab rehabilitation project includes house construction for 300 families who would move from Neirab to Ein el-Tal, to reduce the overcrowding in Neirab. Water and sewage disposal networks, roads and pathways in the existing and the new residential areas will be installed. In the second phase, the barracks area of Neirab camp will be reconstructed for the remaining families. Open spaces will be developed for the communities’ commercial and recreational use. The essential work of project planning and management is being financed by the Government of Switzerland, which provided US$ 263,000 between 1999-2000. The Palestine refugee themselves are directly involved in the planning phase and as participants in the project implementation. The total cost of implementing the project is expected to be in the range of US$ 28-30 million. Of this, US$ 7.5 million or more represents the value of the inputs from the Syrian Government and the Palestine refugee families. The Syrian Government announced publicly its support for the project and Aleppo governorate’s readiness to co-operate with UNRWA in carrying out housing and service projects for the Palestine refugees in neirab and Ein el-Tal camps.

UNRWA upgraded three schools in 1997, and installed a new sewerage network in 1998 with contributions from the Government of the United States.

FACTS AND FIGURES

• On 30 June 2002, there were 17,994 registered refugees, of which approximately 10,000 live within camp boundaries.
• UNRWA runs six schools in the camp: four elementary (ages 6-12) - two for boys (1095 pupils) and two for girls (1067 pupils); and two preparatory (ages 13-15) - one for boys (391 pupils) and one for girls (436 pupils).
• Between January-June 2002, there were 21401 patient consultations at the UNRWA health centre.
• 634 families (or 2,229 refugees) are registered as special hardship cases (SHCs).
• Over the past four years, UNRWA has assisted 103 of the poorest refugee families with the rehabilitation of their shelters.

Neriab Rehabilitation Project Brief

Figures as of 30 June 2002