The Lived Experience of Refugee Children in Informal Camp Settlements: A Photovoice Project in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this study was to use photovoice—a participatory action research methodology that allows participants to leverage the creative medium of photography to capture their ‘lived experience’—among Syrian refugees living in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. The study found that participants (children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 18 years) demonstrated a remarkable number of resilience strategies (88 per cent) at multiple levels (individual, family, school and community). Resilience was demonstrated through their interactions with nature to seek solitude and solace, family connections, school, friends, accomplishments and their broader community. A smaller number of participants spoke of topics related to trauma and loss (12 per cent). The study demonstrates the usefulness and viability of photovoice in capturing the fears, wants and wishes of vulnerable populations as well as strategies employed by them in the face of adversity. As such, it is a potentially powerful tool for empowerment, raising awareness and promoting social change.