‘23,000 Syrian refugees, host communities served by Danish Refugee Council’

AMMAN — The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) Country Director in Jordan Frigerio Ermes on Saturday said that the council is currently implementing 10 humanitarian and development projects for Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities.

In an interview with the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Ermes said that the DRC provides services to 23,000 Jordanian residents and Syrian refugees through its centres in four governorates.

He noted that the centres provide services such as securing sustainable livings, providing protection information, awareness workshops, helping in obtaining identifications and social, psychological and monetary support. 

The council, which was established in 1956 and works in more than 40 countries, seeks an increase in the international community’s support to Jordan to mitigate the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis, Ermes explained

The DRC is working to attract more funds for development projects in the Kingdom and is hoping to open a new social centre in east Amman, he noted, adding that the council supports host communities through its “LEADERS” programme, which aims to enhance economic empowerment and comprehensive domestic development to sustain social adaptation and stability. 

“LEADERS” is implemented in the fields of domestic governance and municipal services in Irbid, Mafraq and Zarqa, Ermes said, with 75 per cent of its beneficiaries Jordanians. 

The director added that the DRC, which has a 90 per cent-Jordanian staff, is implementing another programme in the field of social protection to enhance “the protection of residents who were affected by Syrian refugee influxes”, with funding from the EU Commission for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid.