Zaatari refugee camp: "like living on the moon"

A view inside the Zaatari camp, northern Jordan. The harsh, desert environment, with its dust and baking heat, is home to around 120,000 refugees from the conflict in Syria. At present there are around 17,000 cabins and 8,000 tents which provide shelter from the summer heat and winter cold. Most of the people here have crossed the border from their homes in southern Syria, often at night and under fire. Many have now been here for over a year, separated from loved ones caught in the fighting. British aid has helped in building the camp’s infrastructure and supporting its much-needed services. An internal economy has sprung up, with shops and cafes selling a range of goods along the main thoroughfare.

 

Find out more about UK support for the Syria humanitarian crisis

 

Picture: Russell Watkins/Department for International Development