In pictures: a day in the life of a refugee mum

In honour of refugee week, World Vision has released a moving gallery of pictures taken in Iraq and Lebanon, giving a glimpse of how refugee mums around the world live their daily lives.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Jun 2016, 14:58 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 16:53 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Jomaa, 12, has only one thing on his mind; "Are you going to help me go back to school?" he asks.Jomaa, 12, has only one thing on his mind; "Are you going to help me go back to school?" he asks.
Jomaa, 12, has only one thing on his mind; "Are you going to help me go back to school?" he asks.

A spokeswoman from World Vision said: “Refugee Week is a week to recognise the strength and resilience refugees worldwide forced to be displaced from their homes because of conflicts and war.

“For many mums in the UK, life often revolves around the items of each day’s ‘to-do’ list: driving the kids to work, helping them with homework, getting them to bed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“In some ways, the daily life for refugee mums is similar. They do many of the same things for their own families, except they are not doing it in a comfort of a flat or a house, but rather in a refugee camp, unfinished buildings or even inside a tiny garage,” she added.

Yasmin, not feeling well, takes an afternoon nap.Yasmin, not feeling well, takes an afternoon nap.
Yasmin, not feeling well, takes an afternoon nap.
Read More
Five things to do in Edinburgh to help refugees

One mum, from Irag, said: “Our home’ doesn’t have a bathroom, so I pack my things and go outside to wait to shower. It’s not feasible to shower every day, and we often wear the same clothes we slept in. There’s little privacy. It makes me nervous, both for myself and my 11-year-old daughter, Marin.”

Marin says sharing is challenging. “When we take a shower, it’s crowded. People keep knocking at the door. I used to shower every day.” She now only takes a shower every two days,” she said.

Syrian refugee children fight over a teddy bear at Rajab, an Informal Tented Settlement in Lebanons Bekaa Valley that houses Syrian refugees.Syrian refugee children fight over a teddy bear at Rajab, an Informal Tented Settlement in Lebanons Bekaa Valley that houses Syrian refugees.
Syrian refugee children fight over a teddy bear at Rajab, an Informal Tented Settlement in Lebanons Bekaa Valley that houses Syrian refugees.

Here, 118 families (700 people) live in a single-wide, bathroom-less trailers. Many do not have refrigerators. Everyone must cook outside. For 118 families, there are only sixteen bathrooms in total.

Giving Back: Engaging with Scotland’s charity sector

Johan Eldebo, World Vision UK’s Senior Humanitarian Policy Adviser said: “It’s time for Europe and the rest of the world to accept that we can’t wish the refugee challenge away. We must take collective action to address the root causes driving migration and ensure refugees are not marginalised, or left unproductive for years in camps.

“Children must be given education, communities should have access to healthcare and adults must have work opportunities. Such factors restore dignity and reduce reliance on expensive and unsustainable aid hand-outs,” he explained.

DOWNLOAD THE SCOTSMAN APP ON ITUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY

Related topics:IraqLebanonPeopleScotland