OUT OF PLACE: STORIES FROM SYRIAN FAMILIES
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The North

Over 260,000 Syrians have left their homes to find refuge in Northern Lebanon.
Click an interview excerpt below to meet a family.

Northern Lebanon is one of the country’s most deprived regions, with severe poverty levels, high numbers of refugees, and some of the worst unemployment rates in the country.  The arrival of more than 260,000 refugees into northern Lebanon has put a strain on water, electricity, waste management, and other essential services.
Click an interview excerpt below to meet one of those families.
My life doesn’t matter to me anymore. But I’m thinking of my children.”
                                      -The Abu-Ammar Family
"So I finish the work in the tent and then I sit... And the next morning, the same thing."
                                     -  The Abu-Ahmed Family
As their fear increased and the war raged on, [our] children asked [us] to leave.
                                      -The Abu-Yusra Family
If I am going to be humiliated, I would rather be humiliated by Syrians.”
                                    -The Abu-Rayyan Family
We didn’t want anything but safety. We left everything behind.”
                                      -The Abu-Omar Family
What's the Northern Governorate of Lebanon like?
The area consists of two governorates: Akkar and the North. Tripoli, the capital of the North Governorate, is the second largest city in the country, while the rest of the region is primarily agricultural. Akkar Governorate shares a 100km border with Syria and has two official crossing points: El Aarida and El Aboudiyeh. The two governorates host myriad religious sects including Sunni, Alawite, Christian, and Shiite.

The conflict in Syria has had a substantial spillover effect on northern Lebanon, reducing economic and commercial activities and amplifying sectarian tensions. A majority of Syrian refugees in the area live in challenging urban and semi-urban contexts. Significant numbers also live in informal tented settlements and collective shelters. The Lebanese Armed Forces regularly evict Syrian refugees from their dwellings claiming it is a preventive measure against crime and insecurity.
(Source: UNOCHA, 2016)
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This research was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Insight Development Grant (IDG) Program and Research Support Fund (RSF) at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Thank you to all the families who welcomed the research team into their homes and hearts. The research team is also grateful to the following individuals and organizations who assisted with the research: Dr. Darren Scott at McMaster University, American University Beirut, Beyond, Dar al Fatwa, Himaya, International Rescue Committee, Kayany Foundation, Save the Children, UNHCR, UNICEF.


Homepage photography © Hannah Abdoh 2017
  • Stories
    • The Valley
    • The North
    • The City
  • About
    • The Crisis
    • The Research
    • The Research Team
    • Resources
    • Contact Us