The Azraq Education and Community Fund, Inc.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Syrian conflict is one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time. Since 2011, more than 11 million people – over half of Syria’s pre-war population – have fled their homes or have been killed. There are an estimated 1.3 million Syrians living in Jordan, of which over 650,000 are officially registered as refugees. Of those, 85% do not live in refugee camps, but rather among Jordanian citizens, in host communities in cities and villages. Outside the camps, refugees must support themselves, with only limited supplemental aid provided by international relief organizations such as UNICEF. Recent gaps in funding have further challenged these organizations in providing services to the refugee population in Jordan. AECF programs emphasize primary needs of this vulnerable population: remedial education, psychosocial support; youth engagement; and basic needs support for families in the community.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Basic Needs Distribution
AECF is addressing lack of access to food, hygiene, and other basic need items by purchasing and distributing these critically-needed items to refugees in and around the Azraq community. The most needed items are identified by our team on the ground. All supplies are purchased locally and distributed at our center or directly to families' homes.
The Azraq Education Center
Our flagship program, The Azraq Education Center, provides education opportunities for nearly 350 students, ages 3+. Our program includes: Montessori-inspired early childhood programming for 60 children ages 3-5, remedial education for 250 students ages 5-18, High School graduation prep classes, IT, Art, garden programs, and more. Our team consists of 20 local Jordanians and Syrians in Azraq who run the programs from administrative functions to teachers, a school cook, bus driver, operations, and cleaner.
Where we work
External reviews
Videos
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
AECF is committed to making sure that Syrian refugee children and other vulnerable youth in Jordan have the chance to go to school. We partner with respected local charities to create education programs that not only get kids learning again but also encourage innovative types of learning through the arts and IT.
AECF also strives to make sure that as many families as possible have the basic needs items that they need to create a sense of normalcy for themselves. This means that we regularly purchase and distribute critically-needed items like food, hygiene and medical supplies.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
AECF empowers our local Jordan-based team to help identify the most pressing needs in their communities, in collaboration with a respected Jordanian women's organization. We are able to quickly mobilize and when specific needs are brought to our attention and act.
AECF's education program is designed and maintained by a team of individuals who bring unique expertise to the table. We empower our teachers through teacher training and bring qualified international educators to our schools to instruct in innovative teaching methods and extracurricular activities.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Azraq Education and Community Fund (AECF) is a group of individuals who care deeply about helping Syrian refugees amid this massive, ongoing crisis. Our organization is non-political and non-religious. We are driven by our passion to help those who have found themselves victims of the Syrian civil war, through no choice of their own.
AECF is a registered 501(c)(3) charity, headquartered in New York City. All of our activities are based in Jordan and managed by our local team of 20+ staff. AECF's activities are supervised by an eight-member board of directors. The Syria Fund's educational and humanitarian programs are exclusively in Jordan. Because of the extreme danger and regulatory and logistical difficulties of operating in Syria, none of AECF's programs are in Syria.
To promote accountability and ensure donations reach our program partners despite changes on the ground, we send money for ongoing programs at intervals of no longer than three months. Pursuant to the terms of formal letters of agreement between AECF and staff and partner organizations. We obtain receipts for all expenditures and account for every dollar allocated.
Although we send money in short-term installments, we are committed to providing for the long-term sustain- ability for our projects. AECF has a proven record of longterm investment - our flagship program has been running since 2014. In order for these projects to have an impact over the long term, we are committed to providing regular payments for teacher salaries and other logistical aid including equipment, furnishings, and school supplies.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In 2021, AECF's major accomplishments included:
1. Providing education opportunities that reached more than 300 students
2. Created employment opportunities for Syrians and Jordanians (more than 20 positions)
3. Distributed 1000s of critically-needed items to vulnerable families who need it most
4. Provided enrichment programs in Music, Art, and more
5. Kept all administrative and development costs under 15%
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
The Azraq Education and Community Fund, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 07/12/2022
Jerry Shereshewsky
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data