Presenting The Azraq Education and Community Fund’s
2020 Annual Report!
Dear AECF Supporters,
2020 was a challenging year, to say the least. But in spite of it all, we had significant accomplishments and growth over the last year.
Thanks to your incredible support, and the efforts of our team on the ground, we:
Retained 100% of our students and staff throughout pandemic closures
Provided daily distance learning programming to over 250 students all year long
Distributed monthly food aid to more than 170 families throughout the year
Continued our successful partnership with Voices of the Children and started an exciting new virtual exchange program with Paper Airplanes
Broke ground on a new school facility that opens this Spring
Spent 85% of funds directly on our local program, and 15% on management and fundraising
We enter 2021 with a lot to look forward to! Our center in Azraq reopened this week for nearly the first time since March 2020 for grades KG through 3, and we are hopeful that we will be able to expand in-person instruction as we head into Spring.
THANK YOU for your ongoing support this year, and for 5 years running!
With gratitude,
The AECF team
Today is Giving Tuesday!
In honor of this day of giving, our Executive Director Lexi teamed up with her sister (and YouTuber) Beryl and three of our students, Khalid, Jud, and Ghislan, to spotlight Azraq through a day of eating!
Check out the video below and join us in making a #GivingTuesday donation to AECF!
Another Way To Get Involved Today!
If you are looking for another creative way to get involved, join our Venmo Bingo challenge!
Use your Instagram and encourage your friends to make small donations and “fill up” your bingo board via Venmo (or other payment method)! Make sure you tag us @TheAzraqFund if you join in!
Here’s how to play Venmo Bingo:
DOWNLOAD THE BINGO BOARD AND JOIN THE CHALLENGE:
We hope you enjoy this fun #GivingTuesday content and that it inspires you to take action and donate!
Dear AECF Supporters,
Amid rising Covid-19 cases in Jordan and around the world, we continue to adapt and implement our important work for the Azraq community. Read on for our latest updates from Jordan.
COVID-19 IN JORDAN
Since September, there has been a huge rise in Covid-19 cases in Jordan and the country is now averaging 6,000+ cases per day (a big number for a country of 10 million). All schools and universities in the country are closed, and the government is implementing intermittent lockdowns and restrictions to try to limit the spread.
HUMANITARIAN AID
Nearly all of our beneficiaries have lost monthly income since the start of the pandemic, and food shortages remain a major issue for many. AECF continues to implement our humanitarian aid program, distributing critical food aid including flour, oil, beans, sugar, and more on an ongoing basis.
DISTANCE LEARNING
While we are unable to gather at our center, our team of teachers continues to provide critical learning materials to all of our students at home. Every week, we deliver a packet of class assignments and activities to their door and teachers follow up throughout the week via class WhatsApp groups. We are proud to continue to reach 100% of our pre-pandemic student body. In this challenging time, our hands-on approach ensures that no child misses out on their education.
POETRY & ART WORKSHOPS
In partnership with Voices of the Children (VOTC) and in exchange with students in the US, we wrapped up our first set of Micro Programs (5 students at a time) in poetry and ceramics this month.
Poetry: Our 3rd-5th graders wrote original poems titled “The Best Part of Me” and “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me At All.” They discussed how Covid has impacted their lives, identified attributes they’ve learned about themselves, and turned their thoughts into poetry.
Ceramics: Our 8th grade girls spent the last month sculpting ceramics as part of a larger “Butterfly Garden” project with VOTC. The butterflies are a physical representation of a barrier each student is struggling to overcome. Ultimately, we will add all of the butterflies to a garden that will represent strength and unity working together to overcome our issues, whether they're personal, familial, societal or global.
INTRODUCING OUR STUDENT AMBASSADORS
Finally, we are excited to introduce you to our new team of incredible Student Ambassadors. Our cohort of 7 high school and college students joined AECF to spread awareness, raise donations, and create meaningful connections with our students in Jordan!
Are you a student or do you know a student who would be interested in getting involved with our Student Ambassador program? Click the button below to learn more!
Thank you so much for your ongoing support! As a 100% donor-supported program, your contributions make everything we do possible!
With gratitude,
The AECF team
Dear Supporters,
2020 has been a difficult year for everyone - that is for sure. But because of the support of so many of you, our organization has been able to rise to the challenge and respond to the pressing needs of our community in South Azraq, Jordan.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, our Center has worked hard to reach beneficiaries at home, keeping students engaged so that they don’t miss out on opportunities to learn while also providing critical food relief to families most impacted by the lockdowns.
The need is staggering.
According to a report from UNICEF-Jordan released this month…
1 in 4 students in Jordan did not access the Government-provided distance learning programs during the lockdown
41% of Syrian families reported that their children went to bed hungry during the lockdown
And 94% of Syrian families said that they adopted negative coping strategies in the past 3 months to meet their basic needs
In spite of these overwhelming statistics and because of your support, AECF has continued to reach nearly all of our families and students consistently over the past 5 months.
Our teachers created distance learning strategies using limited resources, distributing and picking up weekly assignments directly from students’ homes and following up with parents via WhatsApp to make sure that everyone stays involved.
We also increased our humanitarian aid distributions over the last several months, providing regular food assistance for those that need it most.
Our new school year will look a lot different than it did last year. But our mission to provide education opportunities and humanitarian aid to those most in need is as important and relevant as it’s ever been.
This September, will you consider making a donation to support our important work in Azraq?
As always, we'll keep you updated as the school year unfolds and we adapt to the new realities that we all live in. You can also follow us on Instagram for the latest pictures and videos from our Center.
Thank you for making our work possible!
With gratitude,
The AECF team
Dear Supporters,
This is our first official newsletter as The Azraq Education and Community Fund (AECF) (formerly The Syria Fund)! We've launched our new website, updated our Instagram, and are excited to share our logo transformation, melding the original TSF logo with The Azraq Center's logo (designed by one of our students!):
Although our name changed, there are no changes to our leadership, local team, or Board of Directors - we are the same non-profit you’ve come to know! This new name reflects our commitment to be more inclusive in the community we serve, strengthen our ties to the town of Azraq, and strategically move forward into the future!
In other news, we're getting back to business in Azraq! Thankfully, Covid cases are extremely low in Jordan and our teachers are back at the Center, keeping students busy with at-home worksheets, small group activities, and more!
Distance Activities & Mobile Library
From worksheets to art activities and story writing, our teachers bring their creative spirit to each kid at home with distance learning activities, delivered right to their door. As part of these efforts, we recently launched a Mobile Library Program, creating a system to distribute books from our center’s library to kids at home in a hygienic and efficient way!
Hygiene Workshop with World Vision
In partnership with World Vision and Nachmyat Eastern Badia Cooperative, students completed a multi-session remote hygiene workshop. Sessions focused on hand washing, general hygiene, and how to protect ourselves from Covid-19. Students received multiple distributions of soap and hand sanitizer as part of the program.
Art and Yoga with Amanda and Asil
As we begin to meet in person again with small groups, art teacher Asil and volunteer Amanda are hosting yoga, art, and empowerment activities with a group of teenage girls.
Asil completed a pottery workshop where students transformed their feelings about quarantine into clay, shaping them into a tangible object.
From cat-cow poses to intentional breathing, Amanda, a certified yoga instructor, is aiming to empower the girls and help them find space to clear their minds and stretch out in yoga and meditation class!
Become a Monthly Donor!
The best way that you can support our efforts at AECF is to become a monthly donor! Consider setting up a recurring donation to provide ongoing education and enrichment to our 245 Syrian students and support our local team of teachers and staff!
Keep looking out for more updates from us as we continue to build out our new website and social media accounts!
Thank you, as always, for your support!
Warmly and with gratitude,
Lexi Shereshewsky
Executive Director, The Azraq Education and Community Fund
The Syria Fund is becoming The Azraq Education and Community Fund - read on to learn more!
Dear Supporters,
This week is Refugee Week and we are reflecting on five incredible years of efforts and impact at The Syria Fund. We have an exciting announcement that we’re eager to share with you!
When we started our organization five years ago, we committed to bring communities together, to stand with refugees, and to make a difference for those most impacted by the war in Syria.
We learned so much as we grew from a group of volunteers meeting at a dining room table in the US to a registered organization with a team on the ground in Jordan and a close connection to the community we serve. Through amazing partnerships and the experience we gained over the years, we focused our efforts on the remote and rural town of South Azraq, Jordan - where nearly HALF the population are refugees - and built our flagship program, The Azraq Center.
What started as just two classrooms and a mission to get Syrian children back in school has grown into a thriving center and community hub with over 20 local team members serving more than 240 students, from ages 3+, on a daily basis. Our commitment to this underserved town extends to the wider community - as we expand our programming into adult education and literacy, high school test prep, increased humanitarian assistance for those most in need, and more.
This Refugee Week, we are excited to share that we’ve made the decision to deepen our commitment to the community of Azraq and move towards a more community-based approach with a long-term, strategic vision for the future.
Part of this direction includes changing our name, The Syria Fund, to better reflect our mission, programs, and commitment to the entire community of Azraq - both Syrian and Jordanian. One of the most important lessons we have learned is that the best way to help refugee communities is to also support the host communities where they live. So with that, we’d like to introduce you to our NEW NAME:
The Azraq Education and Community Fund (AECF)
Our name is changing but there will be no changes to our leadership, local team, or Board of Directors - we are the same non-profit you’ve come to know! The new name reflects our commitment to be more inclusive in the community we serve, strengthen our ties to the town of Azraq, and strategically move forward into the future!
In the coming days and weeks, we’ll be updating our website, social media, logo and more. Look out for more on that!
We are deeply grateful for your support over the years and we look forward to continuing to show you the impact of your contributions, as we deliver critical educational and social programs for Syrian refugees and other vulnerable families in Azraq! Thank you, as always, for making our work possible!
Warmly and with gratitude,
Lexi Shereshewsky
Executive Director, The Syria Fund / The Azraq Education and Community Fund
Dear TSF Community,
We hope that you are all staying healthy and safe during these unprecedented times. Since our last email, we’ve been continuing to adapt our programs and deliver both education programming and humanitarian aid to the families we serve, from a distance.
Read on for our latest updates from Jordan!
Humanitarian Aid Distributions
Since the lockdown began, 90% of the families we serve have lost their income and many are facing food shortages. To help alleviate pressure, and thanks to your generosity, we increased our food distribution program to provide bi-monthly aid to 150 families. This includes staples like rice, oil, flour, and sugar, with protein like fresh chicken or lamb. Thank you to everyone who has donated to this program. Your contributions are making a huge difference!
Stay involved with our Covid-19 Response initiative and donate a $30 food box:
Distance Learning Activities
Just because our physical center is closed doesn’t mean that the learning has stopped! Our team adapted quickly to the new reality, using WhatsApp to communicate with students and provide daily and weekly assignments and activities. Our WhatsApp “groups” are the place to be these days as students share videos, photos, and stories of their at-home activities!
Below are a few examples of at-home activities, including essays in English about how students are spending their time:
We are proud that we’ve been able to keep our team together and continue providing critical education opportunities so our students don’t fall behind.
Help us keep our program going strong! Consider setting up a monthly donation to support The Azraq Center!
Sign Language with Sa’ad
You may remember one of our students, Sa’ad, who is deaf. Last year, we were fortunate to be able to enroll Sa’ad in a Sign Language class at the Azraq Refugee Camp, a 30 minute drive away. This was an amazing opportunity because Sa’ad was never taught to speak, read, or write and he had no real means to communicate. Since the lockdown began, Sa’ad had to stop his visits to the class, but we’ve kept the learning going! With his one-on-one teacher, Amira, Sa’ad continues to learn new words in Sign Language, and work on his reading and writing skills!
Watch the video below to see his amazing progress!
Eid Mubarak!
Lastly, as we wrap up the final days of Ramadan and head into Eid al-Fitr, we want to wish all of you, whether you are celebrating or not, a happy and healthy holiday! We appreciate your continued support as we respond to the pressing needs of our community. Everything we do is thanks to your generosity - thank you so much!
Warmly,
The Syria Fund team
Dear Supporters,
Last week, we put out a call to bring essential food items to families facing immediate food shortages due to the Coronavirus lockdown in Jordan. You answered and together we raised $4,000! Thank you!
This week, we delivered. In collaboration with our local partner, Nachmyat Eastern Badia Cooperative, and the local Azraq government, we successfully distributed 150 food packages to families in need. This included 100 families whose children attend The Azraq Center program and an additional 50 vulnerable families in the town.
This is all thanks to YOUR generosity! Check out the photos below to see your donations at work.
Food packages included: Rice, sugar, beans (lentils, fava beans, green beans), tomato paste, oil, cheese, bulgur, filtered water, milk, and more! Our amazing team worked diligently to provide food in a safe and hygienic way.
The Coronavirus lockdown in Jordan is hitting our families particularly hard. Unable to leave the house and out of work, families are dealing with serious food shortages. We will continue to provide essential food and hygiene to our families as the lockdown continues. $30 provides a food box to a family in need. Consider making a donation to support our ongoing efforts!
Thank you again for your incredible generosity during these challenging times. We are all working together to help those affected by this crisis both in our communities at home and abroad!
With our deepest gratitude,
The Syria Fund team
Dear TSF Supporters,
Like so many around the world, The Syria Fund is dealing with the immediate impact that the Coronavirus Pandemic is having on our community in Jordan. Last week, the Jordanian government effectively locked down the entire country to prevent the further spread of the virus. This means that our program, The Azraq Center, is closed until further notice.
Families across Jordan are required to stay at home and even trips to the supermarket or pharmacy are not allowed. We are continuing to support our entire program staff during this time and we are coordinating closely with our local partner and the Azraq Municipality to begin immediate food distributions to some of the most vulnerable families we serve. We will also be working closely with our teachers to create virtual activities and support at-home learning to keep our students active and engaged.
At this time, we are asking for donations of $30 to provide an essential food box to a family in need. The Food Box will include: filtered water, oil, flour, rice, beans, sugar, and milk. We aim to begin distributions, in coordination with local government officials, in the next week.
IN NON-COVID-19 RELATED NEWS
We thought it might be good to talk about something OTHER than Coronavirus and update you on some of the great activities we began implementing prior to this unscheduled interruption!
A Second Class of Montessori-Inspired Pre-K
As you know, in September of last year, we launched a Montessori-inspired Early Education Room with the Blossom Hill Foundation, the first such program in Azraq. The program has been a tremendous success and there is a long wait list. This February, we expanded our partnership to add a second class of 3-5 year old students at our Early Education Room! The program now hosts 60 total children and 6 teachers across two classes, bringing innovative education and learning opportunities to our littlest students!
Test Prep for Teens
The Azraq Center is dedicated to helping students succeed in the classroom, and ultimately graduate high school. We are very proud that this semester, we launched the first and only Test Prep class in Azraq for teenagers studying for the Jordanian High School Exit Exam, the Tawjihi!
High School graduation and Tawjihi pass rates are extremely low in Azraq. In fact, in past years the pass rate for Tawjihi was in the single digits for Syrian students. We’re working to change that statistic. Before our program started, students had to travel more than 45 minutes to access a test prep class, which isn’t feasible for most. Our first cohort of 25 teenage girls join us 3 days per week for intensive study in the key subjects of Arabic, English, and Math!
Women’s Literacy
Finally, last month we opened our first women’s literacy class. We received a lot of requests from mothers and other women in the community to help them achieve critical reading and writing skills. Many older women in Azraq, both Syrian and Jordanian, didn’t go to school when they were young or dropped out in grade school. Many have lived their whole lives completely illiterate. Our literacy class is a safe and welcoming space where women (some as old as 65!) can learn to read and write, and have fun while learning!
We appreciate your support during this stressful time! We are coming together as a Global Community to fight the virus and we are focused on continuing to support our community and respond to their pressing needs.
Wishing you good health, safety, and as always, sending our gratitude.
Best,
The Syria Fund team