Livelihood Reports Al Amrikeya Area - Final Assessment | Page 194

Figure 71: Redevelopment of Bhadra Precinct- Plans before (up) and after (down) upgrading intervention (Source: worldar- chitecture.org) 5.1.2 CASE STUDIES OF SOCIAL INTEGRATION BETWEEN HOST AND REFUGEE COMMUNITIES- One of the central objectives of this study is to better understand refugee-host relations within the Al-Amrikiyya Area in order to devise strate- gies for community cohesion. It is important, foremost, to place this dynamic within a global context of similar scenarios that can provide ac- counts of success stories and suitable practices. In Egypt as well as internationally, it has been cited that the majority of Syrian refugees have come to reside in cities instead of camps. Over 80% of those reside in urban areas by choice in an attempt to avoid the sometimes impris- oning camps for their lack of connectedness and caps on mobility and resources. What the city can offer in the terms of economic and em- ployment opportunity, education and social ties entice the resettled to become active and productive members of their communities on the road to self-sufficiency. The assumption, made by many governments, that camp-dwell- ing encourages refugees to leave or return to their homelands sooner has also been trumped by recent findings. As most refugees are look- ing to make financial gains and improve their standards of living before they are able to make the transition to another place, urban areas are more likely to provide them with greater opportunities for employment and monetary enhancement. Recent research therefore sug- gests that refugee assistance efforts are direct- ed towards those residing in towns and cities if they are to effectively support refugee lives. Similarly, those who have been resettled to urban areas have, in general, reported better satisfaction with standards of living and overall health and wellbeing. 5.1 | Best Practices From Similar Areas | 136