Refugee Crisis: 500 Children In Lebanon Given Disposable Cameras By Unicef

These Photos Captured By Refugee Children Speak A Thousand Words
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This is what it looks like to be a refugee through the eyes of a child.

500 children aged between seven and 12-years-old were given disposable cameras to document their lives whilst living as refugees in Lebanon.

The non-governmental body Zakira worked alongside charity Unicef to work on the project named "Lahza 2", and saw the photographs taken between October 2013 and July 2014.

Together the organisations provided basic photography training to the youngsters involved, aiming to offer the children a form of "physiological support and catharsis through artistic expression."

The results are below...

Refugee Children Lebanon
As Syria reaches its fourth year of conflict, over 1,110,000 refugees have sought shelter in Lebanon(01 of18)
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Mohanad stands next to his family’s makeshift shelter in an informal settlement in the town of Marjaayoun in Nabatieh Governorate. Mohanad was photographed by his older brother, Omar, 8, who made the image to serve as a reminder of their time in the settlement after the family returns to the Syrian Arab Republic. Unicef / Zakira
(02 of18)
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Moustafa, 12, from Hama, lives in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Moustafa portrayed a small child standing in the mud, barefoot and not wearing pants. (UNICEF/Zakira)
(03 of18)
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Qosay, 7, from Aleppo, lived in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Qosay portrayed a cute little girl posing for the camera. (UNICEF/Zakira)
(04 of18)
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Gharam, 12, from Homs, lived in Al Delhamiyeh informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Gharam photographed a Syrian refugee child playing on a swing in the settlement. (UNICEF/ Zakira)
Over 617,000 displaced people in Lebanon are children(05 of18)
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Ahmad, 12, from Raqqa, lived in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Ahmad photographed a group of children warming their hands over a fire. (UNICEF/Zakira)
(06 of18)
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Hani 9 years, from Hama, lives in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Hani portrayed a family sitting in front of the fireplace outside their makeshift shelter. The floor is so muddy because of the rain, most of the people in this picture are barefoot.
Only 30 per cent of Syrian refugee children in Lebanon are able to go to school(07 of18)
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Sara, 9, lived in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Sara photographed children’s feet, some of them clad in plastic slippers, others barefoot. She wanted to show people the harsh conditions they live in. (UNICEF/Zakira)
(08 of18)
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Shadi, 12 years, from Reef Edleb, lived in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Shadi portrayed with his disposable camera a Syrian refugee child pushing a trolley full of plastic items for selling. (UNICEF/Zakira)
(09 of18)
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Hilal, 9, from Aleppo, lived in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Hilal portrayed a Syrian refugee girl smiling while walking in the snow. (UNICEF/Zakira)
(10 of18)
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Shadi, 12, from Reef Edleb, portrayed with his disposable camera a child pulling a handmade trolley with a gas canister in it. (UNICEF/Zakira)
(11 of18)
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Jasem, 7, lived with his family in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Their tent was burned down because they placed a shoes in the stove and a fire broke out. Jasem photographed his family inside their tent after the fire. (UNICEF/ Zakira)
(12 of18)
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Akram, 8, from Reef Aleppo, lived in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Akram portrayed a group of people posing near a snowman they made. (UNICEF/Zakira)
The government has not to set up formal camps like those in Turkey and Jordan, which provide refugees with plumbing, drinkable water and weather-proof shelters (13 of18)
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(14 of18)
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Fatima, 10, from Aleppo lived in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Fatima photographed her friend taking a picture of a boy in the settlement. (UNICEF/Zakira)
(15 of18)
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Abdel Kafi is 11 years old , lives in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley. Abdel Kafi portrayed a Syrian refugee woman looking from the window of her tent. His shadow is reflecting on the tent.
(16 of18)
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Mohammad 12 years, from Al Safirah in Syria, lives in an informal settlement in Qobb Elias in Bekaa Valley. Mohammad photographed a veiled woman walking in the settlement. He is one of 500 children participated in the UNICEF supported project “Lahza 2”. The project, implemented by the Lebanese NGO Zakria, gave 500 refugee children in more than 200 locations across Lebanon 500 disposable cameras to document their lives. Children were trained on the basic use of camera and were given the opportunity to show us how they see their lives through their eyes.
(17 of18)
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Nahed, 10, from Aleppo, lived an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley She photographed children wearing colorful clothes. (UNICEF/Zakira)
(18 of18)
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Nour El Deen 12 years, from Homs, lived in Bekaa Valley in an informal settlement. Nour El Deen photographed his friends while crossing water swamps by stepping on rocks and tires. (UNICEF/ Zakira)

In 2015, the UN Refugee Agency said that Syrian refugees and the Lebanese in local communities most affected by the influx are “becoming increasingly vulnerable, despite the large-scale inter-agency response to date.”

“An effective display of international solidarity and support is vital for Lebanon," the agency added.

To donate to Unicef's relief efforts for Syrian children, visit their website.