100 WATER HEROES: BENJAMIN SMITH

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Specialist

Benjamin Smith is Project Manager of the UNICEF WASH facility in Za’atari, a refugee camp with a population of almost 80 000 people. In addition to being a WASH specialist, Benjamin holds a Masters in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and has professional experience in the fields of water and wastewater engineering, construction and project management.

Benjamin’s involvement in the Za’atari camp sees him work with both clients and contractors, leading teams in the conception and development waste and wastewater projects.

UNICEF’s support of refugee camps in Jordan has involved the provision of well-rounded WASH services, and reaches more than 100 000 refugees throughout the ares. In Za’atari refugee camp specifically, UNICEF has developed a range of WASH initiatives “to reduce cost, sustain services, and mitigate the environmental impact of the interventions.” For instance, they have drilled boreholes to lessen public reliance on external tankering, and have also built a number of mobile waste-water treatment units. WASH committees have also been put together, made up largely of Syrian refugees who “assume the responsibility for the operation and maintenance of communal WASH blocks, thereby reducing monitoring and maintenance costs.”

Benjamin is one of our #100WaterHeroes for his leadership of UNICEF’s impactful WASH initiatives in Jordan’s Za’atari refugee camp.

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/benjamin-smith-573ab010