Displaced People in Damazin Turn to Farm Work and Handicrafts Amid Shortage of Aid

The shortage of humanitarian assistance and declining access to food are forcing displaced people at Al-Karama Camp in Damazin to seek alternative sources of income to meet their daily needs. Their efforts range from working in agricultural fields to learning handicrafts that can help them earn an income and support their families.

At agricultural projects located approximately 20 kilometres from Al-Karama 3 Camp in Damazin, hundreds of displaced people are taking part in harvesting maize and sesame in search of work that can provide them with the bare minimum necessities of life.

Yaqub said that “working in the fields is exhausting, and I arrive there already tired. However, the shortage of food and humanitarian assistance leaves me with no choice but to endure the difficult work so that I can provide food for my children.”

He added that “displaced people work on a daily-wage basis, earning between 7,000 and 8,000. They return with whatever they earn to secure meals for their families, only to repeat the journey the following day in search of another job.”

Meanwhile, at a vocational training centre in Damazin, displaced women are seeking to acquire professional and technical skills that will enable them to become self-reliant amid harsh living conditions imposed by the war, displacement and deprivation.

The training programmes include carpentry, metalworking and electrical work, in an effort to open up new employment opportunities for women beyond the occupations traditionally associated with them by society.

One of the participants said that “the training gives women an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to work in different professions.”

She emphasized that “carpentry could become a source of income and livelihood that the trainees can benefit from in the future.”