UNHCR holds bazaar in Jordan to help refugees ahead of winter

Nearly 100 refugees from Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Sudan presented their handicrafts in some 35 stalls at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) winter bazaar in the Jordanian Capital of Amman from Thursday to Tuesday to sell their handicrafts and get substantial money to allow them and their families go through the cold season.

The bazaar is a pilot project of UNHCR to support refugees and their families ahead of the winter season.

A variety of products from clothes and textile items, to jewelry, soaps, perfume, sweets, and Circassian cuisine were on offer.

Tamer Jokhadar is a Syrian painter who has been living in Zaatari refugee camp for the past five years. Witnessing the effects of war first hand and the impacts on children's sufferings, he has been using his brush to depict their life ordeal to the outside world.

"This is the fourth time that I come to such a bazaar. I can help my children and family as I sell my paintings to help them spend the winter. I paint with coal. By drawing the faces of the children, I can display the bitter experience of them in Zaatari refugee camp," said Jokhadar.

Yaser, another Syrian artist who makes potteries, regards this bazaar as a platform for him and his consumers to get to know each other better.

"This is the only window I can see the customers through it and my customers can see me through it. I consider it as a platform to me to know the customers, to the customers to recognize me, to know about my job and about my business and about my art," said Yaser.