Taekwondo helps young Syrians build better future at Azraq refugee camp

• Published date: 09 March 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

For Ismaeel Almtlaq, an 18-year-old Syrian refugee living at Azraq refugee camp in Jordan, a smartphone used to be the only tool to connect him with the outside world ? although sometimes he even found using the internet via the device difficult due to the limited electricity supply.

He and his family moved to neighboring Jordan seeking safety at the outbreak of the Civil War. They settled at Azraq refugee camp in June 2016. Since then, Jordan and the refugee camp have become their sanctuary and a second home, which he cherishes and appreciates.

However, his daily life in Azraq is "routine and boring," Almtlaq said in an interview with The Korea Times through Instagram. "But I try to make it beautiful and enjoyable by introducing taekwondo into my daily life."

He and his brothers Muhammad and Ali practice taekwondo on a daily basis, while also teaching the Korean martial art to his six-year-old sister, Judy.

Almtlaq started practicing the sport at the age of 11 in 2016 under the guidance of Coach Asif Sabah from the Azraq Taekwondo Academy.

"I didn't know taekwondo at all (back then)," he said, "but it has turned me into a different person."

He said taekwondo taught him how to be patient and control his anger, adding, "It made my personality strong and gave me self-confidence. I like taekwondo because it is a way to achieve peace, ethics and tolerance … I also feel able to protect myself and those around me."

His temporary residence in Azraq is the second refugee camp built in the country to shelter Syrian refugees following the Za'atari refugee camp. The first sight of the camp is uniform rows of white tin caravans stretching out over the horizon of an arid and empty expanse 100 kilometers from the Jordanian capital Amman.

Developed and operated by the United Nations High Commission of Refugees (UNHCR) and the Jordanian government since its establishment in 2014, it houses over 40,000 among 670,000 registered Syrian refugees in Jordan and provides them with protection, basic needs, food and education. An overwhelming 80 percent of the displaced population from Syria live in urban areas outside the camp, where the UNHCR's support in housing and healthcare are far less accessible.

However, Almtlaq and his young peers need more than just basic survival. They need psychological support and means of rehabilitation to recover from the traumatizing atrocities they experienced at young ages. They crave finding hope and meaning in life, having fun and the possibilities of a better future. They crave feeling connected to the world, just like anybody else.

Feb. 25 was a day of festivity for Almtlaq and around 40 young taekwondo practitioners at the Azraq Taekwondo Academy. The inaugural edition of the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival was held at the Humanitarian Sports Center there, jointly organized...