REACH Gets Help from ArcGIS to Manage Refugee Camp

REACH is an initiative of Geneva-based think-and-do tank IMPACT, its sister-organization Agence d’Aide a la Cooperation Technique et au Developpement (ACTED), and the United Nations Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT). Created in 2010, REACH facilitates the development of information tools and products that enhance the humanitarian community’s decision-making and planning capabilities.

The Al Za’atri camp in Jordan is the largest refugee camp in the world, with 71,227 refugees as of 2015. Originally designed to accommodate 20,000 refugees, the camp has grown in size as the situation in Syria has worsened. Al Za’atri camp provides residents with water sources, hospitals, schools, mosques, kitchens, restrooms, showers, sanitary dumps, and other facilities. Management responsibilities include distributing facilities throughout the camp, monitoring the condition and operation of facilities, and determining the need for additional facilities. Managing these facilities has become more challenging as the population grows and the service area expands. 

In 2013, REACH began using GIS maps to familiarize refugees with facilities at the Al Za’atri camp. REACH geographic information system (GIS) experts created thematic maps in ArcGIS Desktop to show statistics for demographic data on Syrian refugees. They used the software to map all camp facilities and analyze accessibility. As part of this proximity analysis, the GIS team created polygons to calculate the number of tents served by a water tank, kitchen, restroom, or other specific facility. After calculating these statistics, facilities could be rearranged to provide equitable access.

As the camp extended and its shelters changed from tents to caravans, a basic wastewater network was built to accommodate the caravans' washrooms, restrooms, and kitchens. In cooperation with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), REACH enhanced its mapping by creating a public-facing web map with ArcGIS Desktop and JavaScript. The final product is an interactive map showing the entire wastewater network for Al Za’atri camp with filtering capabilities, along with the camp base map showing streets, caravans, tents, and services. The map is updated periodically to incorporate any work done by stakeholders and partners. The ArcGIS platform has enlightened all stakeholders and partners about the refugees’ lives inside and outside the camp and has made decision-making easier and quicker.