Livelihoods in the Za'atari Camp: impact evaluation of Oxfam’s Cash for Work activities in the Za’atari camp

This evaluation is presented as part of the Effectiveness Review Series 2017/18, selected for review under the Women’s Empowerment thematic area. The Za'atari Camp was opened in 2012 by the UNHCR and the Jordanian Government in response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Cash for work (CFW) activities implemented by Oxfam in the Za’atari camp started in 2014 providing legal paid and regulated work opportunities for refugees in the camp.

A quasi-experimental approach was used to assess the impact of these activities on the households whose members directly participated. The results provide evidence that the CFW activities had a positive and significant impact on household wealth based on a composite index measuring asset ownership and housing conditions. A narrative method of enquiry called Sensemaker was also used to explore narratives from refugees in explaining the motivations, challenges and satisfaction in pursuing paid work opportunities.