Because the Syrian refugee children in our school are on the whole adequately dressed and fed, their needs in the realm of education, stimulation and enrichment are not immediately apparent. We have children in our classrooms twelve and fourteen who cannot read, children in grades one and two who do not know how to hold and use a pencil, and older children who are enthralled by children's books we read to three year olds.

Azraq is an impoverished desert town. Almost all the educational opportunities and enrichment we associate with a normal childhood, are lacking for our children.

Our children have no books, no tech-smart toys, no tablets, no laptops, no skateboards, no bicycles, and no creative toys like blocks, lego sets, or art supplies. In Azraq there are no parks, no swimming pools, no hockey rinks, no sports fields, no libraries, no museums, no science center, no art galleries.

Nor are our children surrounded by an enriching natural environment, no forests, no green fields, no rivers, no mountains and virtually no wildlife. There are the shrunken remains of a once large oasis but entry fees to this small lake are prohibitive and there is no affordable bus system to get there. Our children's families do not have cars and they cannot afford to travel outside of Azraq. Some do have TV sets but programs are very limited.

To provide some enrichment we hope to take our kids on a picnic to the nearby small remaining oasis, (a similar trip a year ago was immensely enjoyed); we also hope to find funds to take them somewhat further afield, maybe a trip to Amman or Jordan's famous archeological site, Petra; maybe even a trip to Jordan's seaside resort, Aqaba. Any funds left over after paying our fixed costs will go to enriching and expanding their world.

The need for extra education and enrichment

The school is thriving!

Our Keep-Up Catch-Up school.....a brief history

Martine Stilwell