Maysoon
Maysoon, a Syrian woman living in a refugee camp in Jordan, describes the value of green spaces for human wellbeing:
"Some time ago I visited a friend of mine because she had a newborn. Once I entered her place I felt like I was back in Syria because she had a lot of greenery inside her caravan. Back in Syria our houses were filled with greenery. I was very happy to see the greenery and flowers."
"I was thinking of telling my husband to fix up a space outside the house for a garden. That’s his job; he works are a carpenter. Planting a garden would make me feel more comfortable and closer to home."
Green space, and the act of planting a garden, is a key home making activity for many refugees in Jordan and beyond. As this article from the Project for Public Spaces highlights, gardening can be part of the process of 'building a sense of belonging' for refugees within host communities, particularly when it is linked with culinary culture, growing and sharing foods.
