Salwa’s House
Salwa’s House is a community-based arts initiative in Azraq Refugee Camp, Jordan, that supports elderly women, war widows, and vulnerable women through creative practice and shared learning. Rooted in the daily realities of camp life, the space offers women a consistent place to gather, create, and connect.
The program is part of Artolution’s broader global work, while remaining locally grounded and shaped by the women who participate.
Community-Based Arts and Wellbeing Program for Women in Azraq Camp, Jordan
Purpose and Approach
Salwa’s House was created to support mental wellbeing, dignity, and social connection through the arts. The program centers women who often face isolation and limited opportunities for creative expression, offering them a space where their time, skills, and voices are valued. Salwa’s House aims to become a model for sustainable, dignified, and long-term empowerment programs for elderly and marginalized refugee women locally in Jordan and globally in refugee contexts.
Creative activities are selected for their therapeutic benefits and are facilitated in a calm, welcoming environment that encourages focus, confidence, and peer support.
Activities at Salwa’s House:
Islamic Geometry
drawing & design
Arm and
hand knitting
Communal
mural painting
Ceramics and
pottery
Workshops are held regularly at the Art Community Center in Azraq Camp and emphasize patience, repetition, and shared creative process.
The program emphasizes:
Training and empowering local women facilitators
Long-term sustainability and skill transfer
A future livelihood and income- generation component
Public exhibitions that celebrate women’s achievements and amplify their voices
Voices from Salwa’s House
“This workshop made me feel that I belong, that I am not alone. I met new friends and neighbors.”
“The work is enjoyable. I started going out and meeting new people. I feel much less pressure.”
“I look forward to the sessions and don’t like leaving before I finish my pieces.”
