Oxfam Launches €25 Million EU-Funded Solid Waste Management Project In Jordan

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, June 19 (Petra)-- With support from the European Union (EU), Oxfam in Jordan formally started a vital €25 million Solid Waste Management (SWM) project to benefit the Syrian refugee camps of Za'atari and Azraq as well as the host towns nearby.
Aiming to improve the living conditions of roughly 130,000 Jordanians and Syrians in refugee camps and the surrounding areas, including Greater Mafraq and the municipalities of Rehab, Za'atari and Manshieh, Um Al Jimal, and Al Khalidiyah, the 40-month project (June 2025–September 2028) is being carried out in collaboration with Oxfam GB.
"On World Refugee Day, the EU reaffirms its commitment to supporting refugees and host communities that have so generously shared resources and services," stressed Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, EU Ambassador to Jordan. This new initiative expands on the European Union's years of consistent involvement with the host communities and Syrian refugee camps in Za'atari and Azraq. Solid waste management services will be improved, and everyone will have access to green livelihood opportunities.
Oxfam in Jordan's Country Director, Dmitry Medlev, stated that "ten years on, Syrian refugees still face enormous challenges, compounded by the impacts of climate change on marginalized communities." The outstanding program quality Oxfam has continuously shown in solid waste management over the past ten years is acknowledged by this EU-funded effort.
Today, Chatzisavas attended a ceremony in Za'atari Camp where the ambitious project was announced. Through sorting facilities at Za'atari, Azraq, Um Al Jimal, and Greater Mafraq, 3,800 tonnes of recyclable materials will be diverted from landfills, while 52,500 tonnes of municipal solid waste including 36,000 tonnes from Za'atari Camp and 16,500 tonnes from Azraq Camp would be managed. The project intends to maintain cleaner camps and communities, lessen environmental damage, and encourage resource recovery by using sustainable practices and the concepts of the circular economy.
Waleed Arrar, Solid Waste Management Program Manager at Oxfam in Jordan, stated, "This project is a testament to our shared vision with the European Union to support Jordan's resilience and environmental sustainability."
This initiative's emphasis on livelihoods is a fundamental component, since it has generated over 12,500 temporary green jobs for Jordanians and Syrian refugees in host towns. This includes 1,911 Cash-for-Work (CfW) possibilities in host communities, 4,494 in Azraq, and 5,806 Incentive-Based Volunteers (IBVs) in Za'atari. Beneficiaries will receive about €9.9 million in direct payments, with a focus on hiring women and individuals with disabilities to foster diversity.
In order to develop useful skills, participants will also get training in recycling, trash management, and community involvement.
Involving the community is still essential to the project's strategy.
In addition to three beach clean-up initiatives in the Aqaba Governorate, Oxfam will carry out 35 clean-up campaigns and 1,000 awareness-raising events in target regions. Additionally, in collaboration with Jordan's Ministry of Local Administration, five specially designed technical training workshops will increase municipalities' capabilities.

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