LEBANON REFUGEE CRISIS
Relative to its population (4.3 million), Lebanon hosts the highest number of Syrian refugees, with almost 1.1 million Syrian refugees registered, plus an additional estimated 400,000 unregistered. Some 53% of registered refugees are children and more than 200,000 of them are less than four years old.
“Some people say we shouldn’t have children when we are refugees living in a camp. It’s like telling us we don’t have the right to be mothers! This is so inhumane and even wicked! such a judgment is even crueller than the war which displaced us from home. Being a refugee doesn’t make me any less of a mother – if anything; it makes me even stronger and more loving.” Laila* 32 years old
In photo: Laila* 32 years old mother, with her son Jamal* 2 years old inside their shelter in an informal tented settlement for Syrian refugees in Bekaa region 2014.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
"With no proper shelter, heating or warm clothes; our children are exposed to frostbites and all sorts of cold-related illness, many of the children in this camp are still wearing flip flops and summer clothes!" Roula's father*.
In Photo: Roula* 4 years old rubbing her hands together to get some warmth, at the door of her family's tent in an informal tented settlement in Bekaa valley 2014.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
As her family couldn't afford to rent a proper shelter; Qamar* 4 years old with her parents and five sisters are now staying in a stable outside one of Bekaa valley towns, the owner of the stable allowed the Syrian refugee family to temporarily stay on their property during the winter months as they had no where else to go.
In Photo: Qamar* 4 years old standing at the door of her family's shelter in rural Bekaa 2014
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
"I hear my mom crying after she puts us to sleep, and i hear what my dad says to comfort her. I can clearly see how much my parents are suffering to provide for us. I wish i could help them, i wish i could go to school, i will study as hard as i could and become a pharmacist or a doctor and make sure they never have to suffer anymore" Mais* 9 years old.
In photo: Mais* 9 years old looking out from the window of her family's shelter in an informal tented settlement for Syrian refugees in Bekaa valley 2015.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
“Life is not easy I know that for sure. Everyone has to work hard to earn a living, but when we are deprived of the most basic needs and have very little -if any- access to work; all our hard work becomes worthless! Relying on aid is unavoidable!" Dima* 45 years old
In photo: Dima* a 45 years old mother sitting with her children inside their shelter in an informal tented settlement for Syrian refugees in Bekaa 2014.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
“This is the first sunny day in a long time, it’s been snowing and raining for weeks, we had to stay inside the tent the whole time! The tent was very cold, we had to burn nylon bags for heating, and it smells so bad, we are all sick and coughing now, not sure if it’s because of the nylon or the cold” Rafah* 6 years old
In photo: Mazen* 4 years old with his sister Rafah* 6 years old standing outside their family’s tent in an informal tented settlement for Syrian refugees.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
“I don’t like living in a tent! It’s very small, cold and dirty. I miss our home in Syria, I miss my friends and cousins, I will go back there soon.” Ammar* 6 years old
In photo: Ammar* 6 years old walking outside the informal tented settlement where his family live, few days after a harsh snowstorm hit the region. Bekaa valley, 2014
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
“My dad made this swing so we could play and have fun! There’s nowhere to play in the camp, it’s always muddy and very crowded, I hope we won’t stay here for long!” Lubna* 7 years old.
In photo: Lubna* 7 years old playing on a makeshift swing outside her family’s shelter in an informal tented settlement in Bekaa valley, 2014
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
“I’ve never been to a school before! I was still very young when we left Syria, and we didn’t have a school in our camp. Now we will go by bus to a nearby camp where they have a school, I am very excited and happy!” Nadia* 8 years old
In photo: Nadia* 8 years old, with other kids who live in the same informal tented settlement are sitting in a bus that will take them to a nearby school for Syrian refugee kids in Bekaa valley, 2015
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
“Rami is very fun to play with! he lives few tents away from ours, and we are used to meet and play with other kids almost every day, but last week was very cold and snowy, we had to stay inside the whole time, and because of the cold weather, Rami and his whole family fell ill, their tent was leaking water and they didn’t have a heater! My dad invited them to stay with us during the storm, our tent was got so crowded, but we had so much fun. It’s finally sunny so we could play outside!” Nora 5 years old
In photo: Nora, 5 years old, with her best friend Rami, 5 years old, enjoying a sunny day, few days after a harsh snowstorm, in an informal settlement for Syrian refugees in Bekaa.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
