A Perthshire aid worker is urging Scots to walk 154km – the distance people fleeing Syria must travel to reach a refugee camp in Jordan – to raise money and awareness.
Craig Cowan from Blairgowrie is an aid worker at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan for Edinburgh-based charity Mercy Corps.
The 32-year-old is now urging people across Scotland to join him in participating in a Move for Mercy Corps fundraiser.
Participants of the fundraiser will walk, run or cycle 154km (95.7 miles) over up to 30 days to help some of the 11 million Syrians forced to flee their homes.
The journey represents the distance from Damascus in Syria to Jordan.
Craig drew upon his experiences as an aid worker in his plea.
“The 154km represent a journey most of us can only imagine making to safety,” he said.
“Even in peacetime when there is a ceasefire, you still hear reports of schools and hospitals being bombed.
“People are trying to get their lives back on track and at the same time people are being killed by bombs or preventable diseases.
“It’s so traumatic for the families, for the communities, and for our staff to see this happening again.”
‘Very welcoming’
Craig says that despite its pre-existing financial troubles, Jordan has been “very welcoming” to refugees.
As an aid worker, his role sees him supporting people with a vast range of needs.
He said: “Jordan has been very welcoming, but its economy had problems when the crisis started.
“Now they have one of the world’s biggest refugee populations.
“Opportunities are really low for refugees, so Mercy Corps does a lot of work in the camps and with those living in communities, ranging from basic needs such as making sure people have enough food to health services and shelter.
“We work with children with disabilities, making sure there are ramps into schools or modifications to the desks.
“We also provide mental health support to help kids deal with the trauma and stress.”
Efforts applauded
James Cleverly, UK Minister for Middle East and North Africa, praised the efforts of those participating in the fundraiser.
He said: “I applaud the efforts of Craig Cowan and many other fundraisers in Scotland who will walk, run or cycle 154km to raise awareness of the brutal repression, war and suffering the Syrian people have experienced.
“As the UK pushes for a diplomatic solution, we’ll keep delivering support to people in Syria and in refugee camps. Since 2012, we’ve provided over 28million food rations, 20 million medical consultations and 14million vaccines.”
Information on how to register for and donate to the fundraiser can be found on the Move for Mercy Corps website.