Life in the biggest Syrian refugee camp in the world

Witness History

BBC

History, Personal Journals, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 1 June 2022

⏱️ 11 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

It's 10 years since Za’atari refugee camp was set up in Jordan to take in the thousands of people fleeing Syria because of the civil war. It's now the biggest camp for Syrian refugees. Mayada Masalmeh and her family arrived in 2013 from their hometown just over the border, thinking it would be a short stay. Laura Jones hears from Mayada and her daughter.

With thanks to BBC Arabic's Diala Al-Azzeh and Randa Darwish.

Photo: Za'atari Refugee Camp in 2021 by Getty Images.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Just before this BBC podcast gets underway, here's something you may not know.
0:04.7	My name's Linda Davies and I Commission Podcasts for BBC Sounds.
0:08.5	As you'd expect, at the BBC we make podcasts of the very highest quality featuring the most knowledgeable experts and genuinely engaging voices.
0:18.0	What you may not know is that the BBC makes podcasts about all kinds of things like pop stars,
0:24.6	poltergeist, cricket, and conspiracy theories and that's just a few examples.
0:29.7	If you'd like to discover something a little bit unexpected, find your next podcast over at BBC Sounds.
0:37.0	What goes into making the Business Daily Podcasts from the BBC World Service?
0:41.0	Well first we take a cupful of business news.
0:43.7	Naturally. Then we add a healthy measure of technology.
0:46.7	Mm.
0:47.7	Along with a pinch of exciting innovation.
0:50.5	Business Daily from the BBC World Service.
0:53.0	Find out more at the end of this podcast.
0:58.0	Hello and thank you for downloading the Witness History
1:01.0	Podcast from the BBC World Service Service with me Laura Jones.
1:06.0	Ten years ago Zattari refugee camp was set up in Jordan to take in the thousands of people fleeing
1:11.6	Syria because of the civil war.
1:14.0	It's now the biggest camp for Syrian refugees.
1:16.8	I've been hearing about the experience of one family who lived there.
1:20.9	The opening of the first official refugee camp for Syrians is new tented city.
1:26.2	Nearly 3,000 tents have now been put up.
1:29.4	They're expecting some 10,000 refugees to call this home shortly, but there's a capacity to take up to 100,000 as hundreds of Syrians continue to cross the border every day.
	...

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