In Jordan, Syrian refugees are simply trying to restart their lives.  After fleeing their homes due to the three year civil war raging between rebel forces and President Bashar al-Assad’s troops, many Syrian civilians have settled in refugee camps in neighboring Jordan and Lebanon.  These impermanent settlements lack many resources desperately needed by the migrants.  Primary among these is jobs.  According to the UNHCR’s report on “Syrian Refugees living in the Community in Jordan”, many refugees have depleted all of their savings while settling in Jordan.  The immediate need for cash has made many refugees dependent on aid from charities and relief workers.  Cash is valued more than donations of clothes, food etc. because it allows families to spend in the local economy.  However, the dependency on foreign monetary aid is unsustainable and does not allow for the founding of healthy, contributing citizens.  Instead, refugees are depleting the resources of the host countries, increasing the demand for more foreign aid. 
 

While a simple solution to the cash demand is for the refugees to take up jobs in Jordan, many are finding that harder than it seems.  Job opportunities are scarce and, outside of Amman, nearly nonexistent.  Few people have been able to find steady work and instead rely on periodic income as day laborers. Women and children can be seen doing informal, often domestic, work in order to make a contribution to their family’s need.  However, the income is not enough to support the need of these families in the upcoming months as winter sets in and demand for heat, jackets and shelter becomes precedent.  Due to foreign aid, food security is not a prominent issue.  Rent, however, has become incredibly unaffordable for refugees as prices rise. 
 

Many refugees have found their home in the Za’atri refugee camp, a fast growing encampment located in Al Mafraq near the border with Syria.  This camp has grown into a small city, with a population of approximately 118,000 refugees living in a combination of tents and caravans.  While many have settled into life here, the need for certain resources is still extraordinary.  A shockingly high percentage of households in Za’atri do not have access to a heat source and do their cooking in communal spaces.  About 27% of the households have no access to electricity which only increases the demand and need for gas powered heaters and stoves (Key Findings of REACH Camp Sweep Assessment in Za’atri).
 

For the Syrian refugees that have found themselves living in a urban or semi-urban setting, other issues have arose.  Many cannot afford their rent and have become indebted to landlords.  Even though they are living within Amman, many still face unthinkable obstacles and find themselves without heat or electricity or access to gas.  The influx of citizens has put pressure on urban infrastructure such as schools, health care, and municipal services like waste disposal and drinking water (UNHCR). 
 

The education crisis is of utmost importance.  Because of the conflict that these refugees have witnessed and the issues that accompany displacement, the threat of a lost generation of Syrians is prominent. While most refugees are able to attend school in Jordan, many lack the ability to purchase school books, uniforms or transportation to and from school.  Registered refugees are able to attend Jordanian schools for free.  However, many refugees remain undocumented as the population has increase dramatically in the past year.  Jordanian schools are overcrowded putting pressure on infrastructure, resources and teachers.  A double-shift system has been put in place in order to provide education for all registered children.  This tactic should only be a temporary solution to the problem as it does not provide adequate educational access for all children. 
 

The crises has had a negative, rebounding impact on Jordanians as well who are now dealing with overcrowding in their schools, inflation in rent prices and an increase in the scarcity of water.  While there are a plethora of aid agencies dedicated to providing for the needs of these refugees, funding is low.  The UNHCR was only able to provide aid for about half of the refugee populations (UNHCR Global Appeal 2013 Update).  The budget for 2014 has only been minimally funded with millions of dollars still needed to reach the UN’s aid goal.