Aida camp was established in 1950 between the towns of Bethlehem and Beit Jala.
Like other West Bank camps, it was established on land UNRWA leased from the government of Jordan.
The original refugees in Aida camp generally hailed from 17 villages in the western Jerusalem and western Hebron areas, including Walaja, Khirbet El Umur, Qabu, Ajjur, Allar, Deir Aban, Maliha, Ras Abu Ammar and Beit Nattif.
Aida covers a small area of 0.71 square kilometres that has not grown significantly with the refugee population. As such, it faces severe overcrowding problems. In many cases, the UNRWA installations in Aida camp also provide services for the refugees in the nearby Beit Jibrin camp. The camp is fully linked to municipal electricity and water grids, but the sewage and water networks are poor.
The camp came under special hardship during the second intifada, when the school sustained severe damage and 29 housing units were destroyed by Israeli military incursions.
The unemployment rate is 43 per cent and is affected by the increased inaccessibility of the Israeli labour market.
Statistics
- Over 4,700 registered refugees
- One school for girls, operating in shifts. Boys attend schools in Beit Jala.
- One food distribution centre
- There are no health centres in the camp, residents access health services in Dheisheh camp or Bethlehem.
- One emergency physiotherapy unit
- One community-based rehabilitation centre
- Demographic profile:
Programmes in the camp
Major problems
- High unemployment
- Poor sewage and water networks
- Severe overcrowding
- Damaged infrastructure
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