A Charity Gave Refugee Children Disposable Cameras

Unicef gave 500 Syrian and Palestinian refugee children disposable cameras. This is what they saw.

These photos were taken between October 2013 and July 2014 in Lebanon.

Unicef / Zakira

A group of children warm their hands over a fire in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. They were photographed by Ahmad, 12, from Raqqa Governorate in the Syrian Arab Republic.

Unicef / Zakira

Seated atop a tarpaulin, children draw in an informal settlement in northern Lebanon. Drawing was among the preliminary activities in which children participating in the project took part as they prepared to make photographs. The group was photographed by Hamza, 9, from Raqqa Governorate.

The project, Lahza 2, was implemented by the nongovernmental organisation Zakira ("memory" in Arabic) with Unicef support.

Unicef / Zakira

An expanse of makeshift shelters is visible in an informal settlement in the Tal Serhoun area of the Bekaa Valley. The scene was photographed by Moussa, 12, from Aleppo Governorate, in the Syrian Arab Republic.

Unicef / Zakira

A family stands in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. They were photographed by Mahmoud, 10, from Aleppo.

The children who took part were staying in more than 200 locations across Lebanon.

Unicef / Zakira

Girls and boys stand together in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. They were photographed by Nahed, 10, from Aleppo.

Unicef / Zakira

A boy and a girl walk along a muddy, uneven ground between makeshift shelters in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. The scene was photographed by Omran, 11, from Homs.

The charity taught them photographic skills and gave them disposable cameras with which to capture their daily lives in the informal settlements around the country.

Unicef / Zakira

A child plays on a swing in an informal settlement in the village of Delhamiyeh in the Bekaa Valley. The child was photographed by Gharam, 12, from Homs.

Unicef / Zakira

Children use rocks and a tyre as stepping stones to cross a debris-filled body of water in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. They were photographed by Nour, 12, who is from Homs. The children are his friends.

In a widely shared Tumblr post, the charity wrote that the project "intended to give the children a form of psychosocial support – catharsis through artistic expression".

Unicef / Zakira

A girl stands with her hands in the pockets of her coat outside a makeshift shelter in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. She was photographed by Qosay, 7, from Aleppo.

Unicef / Zakira

A Syrian refugee girl smiles while standing in the snow in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. A boy walks nearby, while makeshift shelters are visible in the distance. The photograph was made by Hilal, 9, from Aleppo.

There are over 1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Unicef / Zakira

A woman walks through an informal settlement for Syrian refugees in the city of Qobb Elias in the Bekaa Valley. She was photographed by Mohammad, 12, from the city of al-Safirah, Aleppo.

Unicef / Zakira

A Syrian refugee looks from the window of her tent shelter in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. She was photographed by Abdel, 11, a Syrian refugee. His shadow is visible on the side of the tent.

According to the UNHCR, it is expected that Syrians in need of protection and assistance will continue to find it in Lebanon – but the country is becoming increasingly stretched coping with the huge numbers seeking aid.

Unicef / Zakira

A girl takes a photograph of another child while another girl stands nearby in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. They were photographed by Fatima, 10, who also lives in the settlement and is a friend of the girl holding the camera. Fatima is from Aleppo.

Unicef / Zakira

Several children stand next to one another in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. Two of the children are barefoot, while the others are wearing plastic sandals covered in dust. They were photographed by Sara, 9, a Syrian refugee who wanted to show the harsh conditions in which residents live.

The UNHCR added: "Syrian refugees, like the Lebanese in local communities most affected by the influx, are becoming increasingly vulnerable, despite the large-scale inter-agency response to date. Humanitarian needs show little signs of abating."

Unicef / Zakira

A man sits with two girls (his daughters) next to a fire while the girls'­ brothers stand nearby outside the family's makeshift tent shelter in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. The ground outside the tent is muddy from rains, and some of the children are not wearing shoes. The family was photographed by Hani, 9, from Hama.

Unicef / Zakira

Children, a woman, and two men stand next to a snowman they've made outside a makeshift shelter in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. They were photographed by Akram, 8, from a rural area near Aleppo.

The UNHCR has also questioned why the U.S. government hasn't offered to take any refugees from the country.

Unicef / Zakira

A woman and man stand with four of their children in their makeshift shelter in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. The shelter became damaged after placing a shoe in the stove caused a fire to break out. The couple and children are the family of Jasem, 7, a Syrian refugee, who photographed them.

Unicef / Zakira

A boy pushes a cart filled with items for sale in an informal settlement, in the Bekaa Valley. The children were photographed by Shadi, 12, from a rural area near Idlib.

On top of that, the UNHCR's demand for $4.5 billion in funding is a long way from being met.

Unicef / Zakira

A boy pulls a small makeshift wagon bearing two plastic crates, one of which holds a petrol canister, in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. He was photographed by Shadi, 12, from a rural area near Idlib.

Unicef / Zakira

A boy and his mother lay cement at the entrance to their makeshift shelter in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. They were photographed by Mahmoud, 10, from a rural area near Idlib.

In Britain, David Cameron has just confirmed that the UK will accept up to 20,000 refugees from Syria over the next five years.

Unicef / Zakira

Women and children attend a wedding in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. They were photographed by Ahmad, 12, from Raqqa.

Unicef / Zakira

An elderly woman kneads dough in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. She was photographed by Bashar, 12, from Raqqa.

The prime minister told the House of Commons that the UK had a "moral responsibility" to resettle refugees living in camps bordering Syria.

Unicef / Zakira

On a sunny day, a group of women prepares a meal together in an informal settlement, in the Bekaa Valley. A boy stands next to them, and two other women stand in the distance. They were photographed by Oussama, 12, from Aleppo.

Unicef / Zakira

Mohanad stands next to his family'­s makeshift shelter in an informal settlement in the town of Marjaayoun in Nabatieh Governorate. Mohanad was photographed by his older brother, Omar, 8, who made the image to serve as a reminder of their time in the settlement after the family returns to the Syrian Arab Republic.

You can find out how to help Unicef by visiting this website.

Unicef / Zakira

Women, accompanied by children, fill jerrycans, pails, plastic bottles, and other containers at a water point in an informal settlement in the Bekaa Valley. They were photographed by Riham, 11, from Homs.