Azraq
Spirit
Welcome to our clubhouse! Situated just 90 kilometers from the Jordanian-Syrian border, Syrian refugees are transforming the challenging desert landscape into a place of community, entrepreneurship and resilience.
The Azraq Refugee Camp, home to over 41,000 refugees from Syria
In response to the escalating Syrian civil war, Azraq refugee camp was opened in 2014. Since then, it has become home to 38,000 Syrian refugees.
Residents have actively rebuilt their lives, establishing thriving shops, competitive sports leagues, and pursuing educational opportunities. Their resilience is remarkable, yet challenges like PTSD, depression, social isolation and limited opportunities persist.
We are very happy that project partners adidas Foundation, AFDP Global and UNHCR have joined us on our journey to support Syrian refugees rebuilding their lives through a community-run KLABU clubhouse.
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Clubhouse manager Abdullah raises the flag
Playing tug of war at the clubhouse
With the KLABU clubhouse, we are creating a platform for sports, play, and creativity; a space where dreams take shape, friendships are formed, and laughter is shared.
We provide sports equipment, a lit-up clubhouse, and an environment that celebrates the power of play, the importance of friendships and the strength within each of us.
Our dedicated local clubhouse managers, proudly calling themselves KLABU heroes, not only ensure the daily operation of the project but also foster a warm and welcoming space for all. In February 2025, the clubhouse arrived, bringing with it a sports library filled with balls, rackets, shirts, and games, ready for anyone to grab and play.
Clubhouse managers Mohammed, Noura, Abdullah, Afra'a, and Mohammed
Five incredible Syrians living in the camp - Mohammed, Noura, Abdullah, Afra’a and Mohammad - have joined KLABU as clubhouse managers. Together, they have transformed an orange shipping container into so much more.
They keep the energy alive, welcome everyone, track impact, forecast budgets, and plan activities. This clubhouse is not just about borrowing equipment; it’s about belonging, connection, and fostering peaceful coexistence. We aim to reach over 8,000 camp residents, primarily aged 13-35, ensuring equal gender representation and inclusion of people with disabilities.
Walking towards the clubhouse, you can hear children laughing over a game of football, the rhythmic thump on the boxing pole, and the quiet focus of someone learning a new skill. As the sun sets, the clubhouse comes to life with music, chatter, and the glow of a TV screen. Free Wi-Fi connects people to the world beyond Azraq, solar power keeps the lights on, and Champions League games on the TV unite even the fiercest of rivals.
Obstacle course at the clubhouse
The Azraq Spirit girls enjoying their workout!
The KABU football team
The girls directly started to play badminton
Football games next to the clubhouse
Boxing is among the most popular sports in Azraq
Beyond the camp, in Azraq town, a brand-new KLABU gym is boosting physical and mental well-being for both the host and refugee communities.
Just a short drive from the camp, Azraq town is a place where Syrians and Jordanians live, study, and now, train together. This gym provides a safe and welcoming space where everyone can move, grow, and connect. Two local coaches, Sulaiman and Salam, one Jordanian, one Syrian, guide the sessions, proving that strength and unity go hand in hand.
We aim to reach over 2,000 people through culturally appropriate fitness programmes and the inclusion of female coaches as positive role models.
Abdullah and Mohammed with the mobile clubhouse that brings sports to other places in the camp
Solar power provides the energy to broadcast TV matches, use Wi-Fi and listen to music
Impact so far
Azraq is known for its caring, entrepreneurial, and creative energy, and the KLABU clubhouse reflects that spirit.
- Over 1,500 people from Azraq Refugee Camp have stepped into the clubhouse and made it their own.
- With the local team and a committed group of volunteers, the community renovated the caravan next door themselves: reimagining the layout, adding lights and drawings. The space really feels like theirs.
- Every week, around 700 regulars come through to play football, volleyball, basketball, boxing, chess, handicrafts, and fitness sessions.
- 30% of participants are women and girls, mainly showing up for Zumba, football, basketball, and crafts.
- After watching the Amsterdam Spirit take on the Rotterdam marathon, the Azraq team got inspired and formed their own run club - now 35 regular runners strong.
- The team has teamed up with organisations like Artolution, a creative group working with displaced communities, to bring murals and performances to life. Initiatives like this have turned the clubhouse into a colourful creative hub.
- Through a workshop with International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), the team completed disability inclusion training. Every Thursday is now dedicated to inclusive sports and activities for people with disabilities, like seated volleyball, and the clubhouse has been fitted with ramps to make the space accessible to everyone.
- They've also recently completed a safeguarding course with Plan International, adding another layer of care to how the clubhouse runs.
- Youth leadership is at the heart of Azraq. Young people don't just take part in activities, they also organise and lead them. Rawaan (12), for example, runs her own Zumba classes, with more than 25 girls joining each session.
- Azraq has some seriously creative ways of gathering feedback: from opinion walls covered in sticky notes, to football-field-shaped suggestion boxes, to balloon races with feedback notes tucked inside. The team is always sketching up new, fun ways to hear from members and keep improving the project.
- Beyond the camp, KLABU also supports the Azraq Town gym. Since the start of 2026, it's grown to more than 300 people, 68% of them women, trained by Jordanian coach Salam and Syrian coach Suleiman. Some come to get stronger, others are recovering from injuries, but most just want to feel healthier, physically and mentally.
Stay tuned for more updates from Azraq Spirit! We can’t wait to share more news and welcome new members - keep your eyes on what’s to come.
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