Young Syrian Refugees Tell Their Stories With Photos

Young Syrian Refugees Tell Their Stories With Photos
The young participants learned basic photography skills and developed their creativity and self-expression as well as critical analysis skills. Photo: ICMC/N. Banks

Syrian children and teenagers are using photography to document their lives as refugees in Jordan. A photo exhibition showcasing their pictures and stories is taking place in Amman until mid-March 2018.

The photo exhibition Through a Different Lens showcases a collection of compelling photographs and stories by young Syrian refugees living in Mafraq, Jordan.

The 50 pictures displayed tell a powerful story: Despite suffering the hardships of war and displacement, children affected by armed conflict have valuable skills and capacities to contribute to their communities.

The exhibition is hosted by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), in partnership with Karim Gallery.

The photos and stories are an outcome of ICMC’s Photovoice project, an innovative approach to working with young people using the medium of digital photography. The project empowers young people as active and engaged members of their communities. Participants learn basic photography skills and develop their creativity and self-expression as well as critical analysis skills.

The exhibition provides a platform for the young artists to have their unique voices heard. “This project increases the capacity of children and youth to participate in decision-making that affects them, a right enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child,” explains Georgia Swan, Protection Program Manager at ICMC.

Young people are a large part of the Syrian refugee community in Jordan, with children under 18 years of age accounting for more than half of the total refugee population.

• See a photo gallery of the exhibition’s opening day

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