UNRWA and Italy Launch €2 Million Initiative to Support Education, Protection and Livelihoods in Yarmouk Camp

UNRWA and the Government of Italy have jointly launched a €2 million humanitarian and development initiative targeting Palestinian refugees who are returning to Yarmouk camp, located south of Damascus. The camp, which once sheltered more than 160,000 Palestinian refugees, sustained severe damage to its infrastructure, schools, health centres, and community facilities during years of siege and conflict that began in 2011.

Operating under the title "Supporting Hope in Yarmouk Camp", the project focuses on three core pillars: education, protection, and livelihoods, with particular attention to the most vulnerable groups including children, youth, persons with disabilities, and displaced families.

School Rebuilding and Educational Infrastructure

A central component of the initiative is the rehabilitation of the Sakhnin-Naqab school in the northern part of Yarmouk camp, which will provide a safe, high-quality learning environment for up to 800 students. Rehabilitation works include gender-sensitive sanitary facilities, accessibility features for children with disabilities, psychosocial support spaces, and solar energy systems. This effort builds on a prior Italian-funded project that rehabilitated the Majd al-Krum and Sarafand schools, restoring educational access for more than 2,600 Palestinian refugee children.

A Multi-Service Community Centre

The project also covers the rehabilitation of the Yarmouk multi-purpose community centre, which will serve approximately 4,500 of the most vulnerable refugees. Services offered will span early childhood education, vocational training, psychosocial support, and community protection programmes. The centre will additionally provide specialised services including speech therapy, physiotherapy, assistive device distribution, caregiver training, and dedicated support sessions for children with autism and intellectual disabilities.

Statements from Officials

UNRWA's Director of Affairs in Syria, Amania Michael Ebye, described the rehabilitation of damaged schools and the restoration of protection services as an essential step toward restoring the dignity of families returning to Yarmouk after years of displacement. He expressed gratitude for Italian support, which he said would help create a safe learning environment for children and new opportunities for youth and the most vulnerable families.

Italy's Ambassador to Syria, Stefano Ravagnan, reaffirmed his country's commitment to supporting Palestinian refugees as they work to rebuild their lives, expressing hope that the partnership with UNRWA would help restore education, strengthen protection, and expand opportunities for those most in need.

Broader Scope of the Initiative

Beyond the camp's immediate infrastructure, the initiative will reinforce legal aid services, gender-based violence prevention, child protection, and awareness of unexploded ordnance risks. Vocational training programmes will also be expanded to support youth livelihoods. The project underscores the critical role of sustained international support in enabling Palestinian refugees in Syria to rebuild their lives with dignity and recover a measure of stability after years of prolonged displacement.