Heal Syrian Refugee Children Through Photography

After the gradual closing down of the Hellinikon camp, where we originally held the lessons, we had to move our setup and lessons to an alternate accommodation structure for Refugees run by the NGO Solidarity Now in Peania, Attica – Greece. The residents of this structure are uniquely Syrian families who have successfully completed their round of interviews and document processing and have received the final go-ahead to move on from Greece to Central Europe on a relocation programme. What a difference this has brought upon! After one a half year working under excruciating circumstances in camps with minimum infrastructure having children and families overwhelmed with grief and trauma, we are now experiencing a shift filled with optimism and dignity! The children are serene, focused and patient. The healing effect of the lessons is more welcome than ever. The camera has become a story-telling tool that they cherish and don’t want to let go. Fear has been replaced with expression.

• The age of the children participating has also expanded from 8-16 with an equal percentage between boys and girls. Thus, we created more classes in order to keep the number of the students to a maximum of 12 students per class, as the children are thirstier than ever to learn and we must ascertain that the skill and knowledge is passed on equally to all.
• Solonas (the accredited photography instructor), has created a child-friendly visual manual. How to insert a SD card, the relation between light and shadow, framing when taking photos, size of objects, difference between a living and a non-living object. Children took a number of experimental photos which then they saw together in the class examining angles and results. Other topics covered were: rule of third & guidelines of image composition, patterns, minimal photography, street photography etc. We tend to alternate between a theory and a practice lesson, to maintain the momentum and balance a healthy medium for the younger’s ones’ shorter attention span.

One of our most touching stories, was that of our star teenager student, Sabri – 16 years old. He was hooked from the first moment. He loved having a camera in his hands and learn the secrets of becoming an apt photographer. His departure with the relocation programme was a very emotional moment for all of us. We held a brief exchange ceremony where he offered us all of the photos from his time in Greece. In return we asked him to keep the camera he was using while in the lessons. We hope that this will serve as an ulterior incentive to capitalize further on his talent and on the knowledge, he received under the Healing Photography project.

On May 26, an Eid Al Fitr celebration was held at the camp on the occasion of the end of Ramadan. Solonas and the Emfasis Foundation team took the opportunity to hold a mini a photo exhibition where the photos of the students were shown to parents and friends. It was a proud moment. The smiles on the faces of the boys and girls, the shyness and the attention they were drawing were precious moments. We saw confidence and quite determination in these children. They were reminded of their abilities and that life was still ahead of them, filled with opportunities. The impact on the parents was equally obvious and positive. They were asking if they could have copies, they were observing the photos carefully, trying to absorb the fact that these beautiful creations were produced by their own deprived children, under the least conducive circumstances.