Guest blog post by Thomas Schwarz, Director of International Communications for CARE Deutschland-Luxemburg. Thomas is currently in Jordan, where thousands of Syrian refugees have arrived.
Yesterday, as I flew from Frankfurt to Amman, Jordan, I read about the large numbers of Syrians fleeing their country. They are on their way to Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon or Jordan, where I am now. The numbers are very high. The UN said they register around 450 people each day and about a quarter of them are here in Amman. In the coming days I will meet some of them.
In the meantime, the CARE office here will show me how they are assisting refugees in the border region. CARE is helping people with cash transfers — enough to support their survival, especially for people who had to leave almost everything behind.
CARE in Jordan is supporting refugees from Syria in the eastern town of Mafraq. PHOTO:CARE/Thomas Schwarz
The government of Jordan is responding to the needs of Syrians crossing the border into their country. But it is not possible to deal with such an enormous rise in numbers alone. I wonder how any industrialized country would react if nearly 1,200 refugees arrived on their soil every single day . This is almost unimaginable for me.
“I wonder how any industrialized country would react if nearly 1,200 refugees arrived on their soil every single day . This is almost unimaginable for me.”
In the light of all the numbers and the suffering, I am an optimist. I believe that people who are able, will always support others in need. They support CARE for example, so that we are able to do our work on the ground.
