For the past 7 years, Humanity & Inclusion (HI) has been assisting Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon through physical rehabilitation and psychosocial projects. This year, HI is continuing its life changing work thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
HI is working in Jordan and Lebanon with people impacted by the conflict who have lost everything and need humanitarian aid to survive. Every day HI teams witness the suffering and trauma of Syrian refugees; victims of a conflict marked by the massive and repeated use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
Physical rehabilitation services are a vital part of the journey towards greater mobility and independence. For injured people,physical rehabilitation can be the difference between recovering from injury or that injury becoming a permanent disability.
Here are just a few of the people supported by HI's rehabilitation teams in Jordan:
Ibrahim and his two children © O. van den Broeck/HI
During a bombing in Syria, shrapnel from a shell went into Ibrahim’s leg. He was transferred to Jordan where his leg was amputated. HI teams provided him with a prosthesis.
Hussein and his wife © O. van den Broeck/HI
At the beginning of the Syrian war, Hussein and his family left their town, Dera’a, to take refuge in Jordan. For the last few years, Hussein, the oldest member of the family has medical issues. Thanks to the partnership between HI and a local rehabilitation centre, the osteoarthritis in Hussein’s knee is now being taken care of by a team of physiotherapists.
Mohammed with his physiotherapist Manal © O. van den Broeck/HI
Mohammad, 5 years old, has a malformation of the spine causing paralysis of his lower limbs. For more than a year, the little boy has been supported by the rehabilitation team at CDC Zarqa, a partner of HI. Thanks to regular sessions with his physiotherapist Manal, he is now able to climb small steps. He is also able to access and settle himself in his new wheelchair provided by HI.
Adjusting a prosthesis at Basma Hospital, Jordan © O. van den Broeck/HI
Thanks to the partnership between HI and the rehabilitation centre of Basma Hospital, the first department of prostheses and orthotics in the north of Jordan has been created. Located just a few kilometres from the border with Syria, the hospital is a hotspot for Syrian refugees. The rehabilitation centre is therefore essential to support these patients, who often have lost limbs as a result of their injuries. HI also supports the rehabilitation costs of the most vulnerable patients.