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Jennifer said education for children and helping them prepare for school is a key focus of Concern in the areas where they work – and also helping them cope with their trauma.
“There is also a protection programme,
One proud kid in a Syrian non-formal education centre
atest press release from Concern Worldwide, issued on Thursday, April 
6th 2023…
atest press release from Concern Worldwide, issued on Thursday, April 
6th 2023…A Greystones humanitarian aid worker who has just returned from Syria and Iraq said there is great hope for the refugees she met who have fled conflict.
Jennifer Nolan, from Burnaby Lawn and who manages the Enniskerry Youth Club Girls Under 8s football team, saw schools and homes in areas impacted by conflict that are being rebuilt or renovated.
The experienced aid worker, who has witnessed many crises and disasters throughout her career, travelled with Irish humanitarian organisation Concern Worldwide, who she has worked with in media-related roles for the last 20 years.
The experienced aid worker, who has witnessed many crises and disasters throughout her career, travelled with Irish humanitarian organisation Concern Worldwide, who she has worked with in media-related roles for the last 20 years.Jennifer said education for children and helping them prepare for school is a key focus of Concern in the areas where they work – and also helping them cope with their trauma. 
“I could see great hope for the Syrians I met,” she said, after returning from Syria where a conflict that has killed an estimated 580,000 people has entered its 13th year.
“The children drew amazing pictures that were full of positivity and the world they want to live in. They want a better future and with all out support they will hopefully have it.
“Getting children back to school has been a large aspect of our work.
“We run a non-formal education programme that teaches children reading, writing and maths. The school walls are full of pictures and the children love it. The programme has been very successful and is helping children return to formal schools.
“A lot of Syrian families are also moving out of tents and into houses thanks to the work we do with property owners. We have created partnerships with landlords to get homes rehabilitated, fitted out and provided with essential utilities like water, electricity, heating, so they could be let to families made homeless from conflict.
“A lot of Syrian families are also moving out of tents and into houses thanks to the work we do with property owners. We have created partnerships with landlords to get homes rehabilitated, fitted out and provided with essential utilities like water, electricity, heating, so they could be let to families made homeless from conflict.“There is also a protection programme, 
which is a child friendly space in a very large tent for children dealing with trauma. It is full of happy decorations and creates a feeling of positivity where children can deal with their feelings and learn about emotions and how to cope with them.
which is a child friendly space in a very large tent for children dealing with trauma. It is full of happy decorations and creates a feeling of positivity where children can deal with their feelings and learn about emotions and how to cope with them.
“One girl I met told me she had nightmares after she was injured in an accident, which was so sad, but she said the bad dreams are not as frequent as they used to be.”
Jennifer said her journey with her colleagues through Syria and Iraq was challenging with many security and safety aspects, but she said it revealed how difficult it is for aid to reach the same areas.
“We were in a freezing cold part of Syria wearing at least seven layers of clothing to try stay warm,” she recalled. “Many people live in tents so need heavy blankets, heaters and other items provided by Concern, thanks to funding from Ireland, Britain, Europe and other parts of the world.
“Families told me it gets so cold that they burn whatever rubbish and other items they could find. They use them as fuel for a fire inside their tent. One woman, Fatima, told me that they had to burn their own shoes to stay warm, which meant the children are barefoot now.
Artist: Nizar Ali Badr
“Then in the summer they have extreme heat to deal with temperatures reaching near 50C at times.
“I was in awe of the development work my colleagues were doing. They helped prevent cholera, which can be life threatening, from spreading amongst thousands of people by providing drinking water in trucks and checking it each day to make sure it was clean.
“They provided handwashing facilities and went door to door to teach people how to maintain good hygiene practices. The water trucks delivering clean water to the camps mean so much to the people I spoke to. One boy, Hani, drew me a picture of a water truck and told me he gets so excited to see it everyday because it means he can be clean going to school.”
