Sawiyan

Sawiyan was founded in 2018 as a grassroots response to the growing vulnerability African-origin refugees, their lack of recognition in the Jordan Response Plan, and the significant lack of engagement of these populations at the time of the humanitarian community in Jordan. Since formalizing, Sawiyan has grown into the organization that works alongside marginalized Sudanese, Somali, Yemeni refugees, and other minorities in Jordan to advocate on their behalf, foster community led solutions to their most pressing issues, and work to develop greater access to educational, personal, and professional development for their communities. Over the years Sawiyan has worked alongside their team/refugee community members to develop approaches to the development of Sawiyan’s advocacy, education, research, and community-led project incubation departments that have not only proved significantly impactful, but follows a process that builds towards a reality in the future where each focal area of work for Sawiyan will be either Jordanian or refugee-led. Sawiyan has also become a leading voice in the sphere of inclusive humanitarianism and on key barriers to assistance facing Sudanese, Somali, and Yemeni refugees/asylum seekers living in Jordan. The organization was a part of leading the founding of the One Refugee Approach Working Group, a group of now +30 humanitarian organizations working to ensure that the response plans, humanitarian programming, annual donor accounts in Jordan are in line with humanitarian principles and the ‘One Refugee Approach’. In addition to it’s advocacy work Sawiyan’s staff, Board Members and extended family members have produced, advised, or contributed to research, assessments, and policy briefings helping humanitarians, international donors, and the host community better understand the needs, unique lived experiences and barriers to assistance faced my the communities Sawiyan works with.