Lebanon’s abandoned Palestinian refugees – closed camps in pictures lebanon-paddy-dowling-1.jpg

Ahmed Zamil, 4, stands framed by the doorway of his home in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp, Lebanon. It is situated on the coast, 35kms south of Beirut in Sidon and is home to around 120,000 Palestinian refugees. Access to this closed camp is through a military controlled checkpoint monitored by the Lebanese Intelligence Service. Ahmed’s father was killed 12 months ago caught in one of many gun battles between faction groups in the camp. UNRWA are forced to close schools in such camps between 22-26 days per year. Exposure to conflict provides a cumulative effect of scarring which in their early years may leave them coping with Post Traumatic Stress Order and severe personality disorders. Such exposure deprives a child from any sense of a normal and healthy development. Mary Joy Pigozzi, Executive Director, Educate A Child a programme of Education Above All who have delivered education to over 66,900 Palestinian Children out of school explained “Many Palestinian refugee children whose education and lives have been impacted by the conflict in Syria need specialised support through psychosocial counselling, structured age-specific recreational activities, the delivery of learning content adapted to violent situations and, survival skills to help them overcome the significant trauma they have faced. The importance of strong partnerships in support of out of school children is ever more evident and essential if we are to ensure all children receive a quality primary education”. Paddy Dowling

Pictures by Paddy Dowling