1001 Inventions and WFP Together Help Improve Wellbeing for Refugee Children
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Note: Schools in Zaatari refugee camp are closed in a bid to protect children and to fight COVID-19. Photos in this story were taken before school closures.
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Amman, 11 April 2020- The 1001 Meals programme is made possible through a partnership between the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and 1001 Inventions organisation. Both teams work together to bring Syrian children in refugee camps in Jordan nutritious school meals coupled with engaging educational activities.
1001 Meals is now on hold following school closures at Zaatari refugee camp in a bid to fight COVID-19. Although the WFP team continues to be very busy on the frontlines helping provide food and bread to refugees, they kindly take the time to reflect about 1001 Meals experiences and share their impressions.
Members of the WFP team, in their varying roles, work closely with the 1001 Inventions team to ensure all activities run smoothly. Let’s hear what they had to say about their experience with the Programme.
Partnerships Officer Faten Al-Hindi, an instrumental team member who has been involved in 1001 Meals since its instigation says:
Although it’s been initially challenging to secure required approvals to launch this programme, it was surely worth every effort. It is not just about healthy meals and exciting learning opportunities, but also about making children feel proud about their own heritage and inspiring them to help build a better future.”
This project is one of the closest to my heart”, says Faten. She adds: “I am always thrilled as I follow the fantastic 1001 Meals team explaining scientific concepts in fun and simple way and their passion reflecting on the children’s smiling faces. My favourite moment is when the mascot enters the classroom and the children start laughing and screaming with joy and I see sparkles in their eyes. My heart melts at each session I join, especially when the children eat their healthy meals with happiness after they have enjoyed such a wonderful experience.”
Faten adds that she is very proud of this partnership and hopes to see 1001 Meals programme rolling out to all vulnerable children in Jordan. Also, that 1001 Inventions partners with other WFP Country Offices extending the programme to more disadvantaged children around the world.
Yousef is also part of the WFP Partnerships Team and has supported the 1001 Meals programme since the first pilot event in Azraq refugee camp back in 2017. What Yousef finds most valuable and impactful about 1001 Meals is the combination of healthy meals and fun educational activities that help deliver meaningful messages. With regards to his impressions of the Programme, Yousef states:
What impresses me most are the interactive learning techniques used by the facilitators. This makes the experience much more interesting and beneficial for the children. I am also always delighted to see the teachers engaged with the activities and benefiting from the programme.”
Hussam oversees WFP’s efforts in Zaatari refugee camp, among other locations, and ensures all activities run efficiently. He finds that the 1001 Meals programme supports the mission of WFP through linking healthy nutrition through school meals to cognitive development and scientific achievements. About the educational component, Hussam says:
The activities connect children with the rich history of the Arab world. They also take them out of their daily routine and offer them a different and exciting experience. Given that they live in a camp, this activity lightens up their day and adds to their knowledge.” He adds, “when the classroom gets dark and laser lights go on in preparation for the cinematic experience, it’s a magical moment for the children.”
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Hiba’s role in the 1001 Meals programme includes preparing and following up on the implementation strategy, coordinating with colleagues to get approvals from the Ministry of Education and explaining the objectives to school principals. Hiba is also regularly following-up on communication processes between all stakeholders to make sure the activity plan is efficiently executed. Similar to Yousef, what she finds most impactful about the Programme is the interactive learning approach in which information is conveyed to students in a modern and active way. Hiba hopes that such innovative learning modalities would be adopted by all teachers and schools. Being a WFP School Feeding Focal Point, Hiba also appreciates how the 1001 Meals team creatively raises children’s awareness about the importance healthy eating and nutritious food.
Meanwhile, Hadeel, a WFP Field Monitor supporting the WFP school feeding activity, oversees the distribution of school meals and follow-up on the process of production of the meals in Healthy Kitchens. Hadeel supports 1001 Meals through preparing the schedule at Zaatari refugee camp and works with school principals to ensure appropriate classrooms are available for delivery the programme. Hadeel comments that having a partner such as 1001 Inventions running engaging activities enhances the effectiveness of WFP programmes in schools. She says:
Working closely with staff and experiencing first-hand the impact on the students and teachers, their positive feedback and how they ask for more – this is what we aspire: to benefit the community and improve their well-being.”
Delivering 1001 Meals activities would not be possible without the valuable support of many others from the WFP Jordan team including Naser Bardaghawi the Programme Associate and first person who meets the team on arrival to Zaatari camp and Rabab Baker School Feeding Expert with her role in securing the delivery of meals to children at their classes. Also, Ahmad Ismail, Abdullah Zuqaili, Ahmad Bado, Munir, Samer and Anis Ahmad who help daily transport the team from Amman to the Zaatari refugee camp, assist with set-up and happily help overcome any technical challenges. The team is one big family. Everyone is excited to help and support!
Programmes such as 1001 Meals aiming to help improve physical and emotional wellbeing for children are more important than ever today. Even though the Programme is now on hold due to schools’ closures, key messages already relayed to thousands of children at the camp about the importance of nutritious foods and the necessity of hygiene and handwashing would continue to help keep the children healthy. Also, messages of resilience despite challenges, that is core to the story of the 11th century pioneer Ibn al-Haytham introduced as part of 1001 Meals experiences, would help give children hope for better times ahead.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has been present in Jordan since 1964. Under its mission of saving lives and changing lives, the humanitarian organisation works to ensure everyone has access to food and provides food assistance for vulnerable communities across Jordan. As such, WFP’s operations have supported the Government in providing food assistance for half a million Syrian refugees in camps and in the host community. WFP also provides daily school feeding meals to 417,000 of school children in public schools in poverty pockets and in refugee camps.
In addition to its efforts to secure food, WFP offers livelihood activities through cash for work and cash for training opportunities aiming to build human capabilities and improve employability for the most vulnerable to help them become self-sufficient. WFP’s Healthy Kitchens, for example, provide women like single mother of four, Um Ibrahim, in refugee camps with job opportunities that enable them to support their families through preparing the daily school meals provided to students. Those who work in WFP Healthy Kitchens receive dedicated training on production, food handling, safety and hygiene.
During these difficult times with the novel COVID-19 outbreak worldwide, WFP teams are on the frontlines helping those most in need. WFP continue its operations securing vital food assistance to millions of vulnerable people across the globe. WFP efforts to curb the spread of the virus include supporting governments by shipping medical supplies to hospitals, donating masks, gloves and gowns and continuing to provide beneficiaries with food and cash. WFP is also working with other UN agencies and NGOs to increase the efficiency of the COVID-19 response. Visit this page for more information on WFP’s response to COVID-19.
You too can help by supporting World Food Programme deliver healthy meals to vulnerable children even during school closures. Download the ShareTheMeal app — select to join the “#1001Meals” Team — and with just a tap you can donate to “share the meal” with a child in need. Donations to World Food Programme – WFP are also possible through: https://donatenow.wfp.org.
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About United Nations World Food Programme
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the largest humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives worldwide, provides food assistance to more than 90 million people in 84 countries annually by delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. In addition to their efforts in relief and rehabilitation, development aid and special operations.
Since 1964, WFP has been present in Jordan working with the Jordanian government, as well as international and local organizations, to create economic and livelihood opportunities for food insecure and vulnerable communities.
WFP’s operations have also supported the government in providing food assistance for half a million Syrian refugees in camps and in the host community. WFP has also been offering vocational training opportunities and on-the-job training to develop human capacities and improve employability for targeted vulnerable Jordanians and allow the opportunity for the current influx of Syrians to be self-sufficient.
About 1001 Inventions
1001 Inventions is an award-winning, British based organization that creates international educational campaigns and engaging transmedia productions aiming to raise awareness of the contributions to innovation, technology and culture from the golden age of science in Muslim Civilisation.
1001 Inventions has engaged with over 400 million people across the globe working with a network of international partners, including UNESCO, National Geographic and leading academics to produce interactive exhibits, short films, live shows, books and classroom learning materials that are being used by hundreds of thousands of educators around the world.
