MOSCOW, January 28 (Sputnik) — A German photographer who has been taken pictures of children in Syria’s and Iraq’s refugee camps calls them a “lost generation” and shares their stories on his homepage www.kilianfoerster.de.
In his interview to German “Spiegel” Magazine, Kilian Foerster, said that his goal was to show how the life in the war-torn countries looks like in the background, where people, not directly involved in the conflict, suffer from its consequences.
The Syrian conflict began in spring 2011, when nationwide protests against President Bashar al-Assad shook the country. Government forces responded with violent repressions, leading to the formation of armed oppositional groups and military resistance.
As result of the armed clashes, people had to seek asylum in countries abroad. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of registered Syrian refugees reached nearly 3 million by September 2014.
Many refugee children are suffering psychological trauma, as they have lost their parents, their friends and, all in all, their childhood. Many of them spend their days selling cigarettes and other small stuff, collecting garbage or begging.
Adult refugees make every effort to teach children school disciplines and give him at least a basic education, Foerster says, adding that he was very impressed by their commitment. However, education capacities remain very limited as refugee camps are overcrowded. They host tens of thousands adults and children, which are in general anxious only about one thing: how to survive and make both ends meet.
In all interviews, children said that they hope to return to Syria one day and build a new, peaceful country. ”My greatest desire is to live again in Syria,” says 15-year old Bilkhes. She wants to become a pharmacist and help people in her country.
