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Azraq Taekwondo Academy

Location: Azraq refugee camp, Azraq, Jordan
Active since: April 2016
Number of students: 80
Partners: World Taekwondo Cares Programme

Since April 2016, THF, along with the World Taekwondo Cares Programme (WTCP), has been operating a Taekwondo academy in the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan.

The camp was created in 2014 by UNCR in conjunction with the Jordanian government to accommodate victims of the Syrian civil war. It currently hosts more than 32’000 Syrian refugees and stretching for more than 15 kilometers, it is one of the biggest refugee camps in Jordan.

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At the moment, THF’s Azraq Taekwondo Academy has 51 students actively learning taekwondo with training sessions offered four times per week. Two taekwondo instructors were dispatched to set up and manage the Academy in the camp: an international coach and a local Jordanian coach.

At THF’s Azraq Taekwondo Academy, refugee children get the chance to learn sports key values, such as teamwork, fair-play, respect, cooperation, integrity and tolerance, and develop better physical and mental well-being. Aside from proper taekwondo training, they take part in different activities such as meditation, demonstrations, promotion tests, competitions and endurance races.

 

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Individual success stories: Solaf
Born in 2007 in Bosra, Syria, Solaf has been living in Azraq camp since 2013. Solaf was forced to flee her home when she was just 6 years old. A bomb hit the roof of her house so, along with the rest of her family, she found refuge in a mosque. This mosque was then later also bombed which led them to finding refuge in the Azraq refugee camp accros the Jordanian borders. Solaf became interested in Taekwondo after seeing other members of the camp walk around in white robes and has since joined THF’s academy. She said that Taekwondo has taught her how to defend herself when her brother is not around as well as making life in the camp more pleasant.
Individual success stories: Asma'
Asma’ Abdulrahman Sleiman is a 16-year-old girl who lives in the Azraq refugee camp. The young girl has been passionate about sports every since a young age and joined THF’s academy when it first opened. Asma believes that taekwondo has had an important impact on her life, stating, “it didn’t take me much time to find great pleasure in practicing taekwondo and actually perceiving its great influence on my personality and behaviors, starting from time management all the way to building my self-confidence”.

Individual success stories: Suleiman
Suleiman Al Ahmad, 16 years old, joined THF’s Azraq Academy when it first opened, one year and a half ago. Taekwondo now forms an important part of the teenager’s life. “Taekwondo has introduced me to so many good people. I now have many friends who practice the sport too.” Suleiman also believes that the sport has helped him build a strong personality and become more mature. However he is most grateful towards taekwondo for having provided him with a dream: “I wish to represent the refugees in the Olympic games and become an Olympic champion”.
Individual success stories: Rayan
Born in Syria, Rayan Abdulrahman Sleiman first learned about taekwondo in 2016 when THF’s Azraq academy first opened its doors. Now 13 years old, she has attended every training session since, having build up a passion for the sport: “When I first arrived here, I didn’t like it at all, but ever since I began taking part in taekwondo sessions, I have started to feel like I actually belong here”.
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