Heartache and hope: refugee girls in Lebanon

On the International Day of the Girl Child, we salute and encourage girls everywhere to achieve their dreams and full potential. The girls featured in this article have all experienced the turmoil of fleeing their homeland at a young age. And all have shown the inner strength to overcome adversity and dream of a better future.

Girls all around the world face a constant struggle to obtain their basic human rights. Gender inequality has restricted girls’ ability to decide over their own lives for decades. In many parts of the world, girls are unable to get an education, marry who they want, access information or get a job – simply because they are girls.

But given the right tools and opportunities, girls can be a source of strength and inspiration for their communities. Empowered girls can change their own futures and set new boundaries for their lives, despite all the challenges they face.

Meet some of the girls that we work with in Lebanon, a country that has hosted 1.5 million refugees from Syria. This is the world’s highest number of Syrian refugees per capita, of whom 27.1 per cent are girls between 0 and 18 years old.

Rasha, 14, a Syrian refugee in Lebanon

Many good things would happen if the war had never happened in Syria. We could have made a change in Syria and in the society, but now we have no other choice than to wait until the war is over. Only then we can make a change in Syria.

I miss everything about Syria, our house, the school, my friends, and my grandparents.

I used to get along with everyone in Syria, and I feel at home among the people from the same country.

I like travelling, because I like to meet new people, and discover new cultures and countries. I like to live in Canada, I always check photos on google about Canada and I like the place there very much. I’d like to visit it one day.

I would like to create a YouTube channel with my sister, where we publish entertaining content so people can watch.

I like reading, I read online because we’re not able to buy books very often. I like novels very much. I like writing as well, I always get a high score on writing. I feel it is easy because I enjoy doing it. I find it easy because I read a lot and I watch lot of YouTube videos about different subjects.

I want to become a dentist in the future, or a journalist because I like taking photos. I wish the war ends in Syria and we can go back to our country, and my siblings and I can fulfil our dreams.

Photo: Nadine Malli/NRC — Rasha, 14, loves to read. "I like novels very much," she says. "I like writing as well, and I always get a high score on writing. I feel it is easy because I enjoy doing it." Photo: Nadine Malli/NRC

“Many good things would have happened if the war had never come to Syria. We could have made a change in Syria and in society, but now we have no choice but to wait. I miss everything about Syria: our house, the school, my friends, and my grandparents.

“I dream of travelling, because I like to meet new people and discover new cultures and countries. I always check photos on Google about Canada and I like the place very much. I’d like to visit it one day.

“I like reading. I read online because we’re not able to buy books very often. I like writing as well – I always get a high score on writing. I feel it is easy because I enjoy doing it.

“My dream now is to create a YouTube channel with my sister, where we publish entertaining content so people can watch. I want to become a dentist in the future, or a journalist because I like taking photos. I wish the war would end in Syria and we could go back to our country, and my siblings and I could fulfil our dreams.”

- Rasha, 14, a Syrian refugee in Lebanon

Seven-year-old Layan was born in the midst of the war in Syria. Her family fled to Lebanon, but she was unable to attend school because she lacked ID. Now with NRC's help, she is properly registered and can go to classes once again. Photo: Racha El Daoi/NRC

Seven-year-old Layan was born in the midst of the war in Syria. A few days after her birth, fighting intensified in the area they were living in and her family was forced to flee to Lebanon. Layan’s parents had not registered their marriage yet at the time she was born and therefore were not able to register her birth before leaving Syria.

Layan’s mother constantly feared that Layan and her siblings would be taken away from her, that the authorities would think she wasn’t their mother because she didn’t have any proof that the children were hers.

Layan enrolled in school along with her friends, but had to drop out after a month because she didn’t have any ID. This devastated Layan. She loved the school and didn’t understand why she couldn’t go there like the other children.

Fortunately, Layan’s mother received legal help from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). She was finally able to register the birth of her children, enabling Layan to enrol in school once more.

- Layan, 7, a Syrian refugee in Lebanon

Sahar, 13, is a Palestinian refugee in South Lebanon who attends the learning support program, which is funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), at one of the UNRWA schools in South Lebanon. She has to miss some classes to receive the treatment she needs for her left hand and leg as she suffers from a delayed growth disorder.

“Today is the first time I ride a horse and the ATV during an outdoor activity organized by NRC. If I wasn’t courageous enough to challenge my disease, I wouldn’t experience the happiness I felt today,” says Sahar.

Sahar encourages other people to be brave regardless of their weakness and respect each other differences

Photo: Rasha Abo Kharroub/NRC — Sahar is a 13-year-old Palestinian girl who lives in South Lebanon. "It is the first time I’ve tried horseback riding because I have a growth disorder in my left hand and leg," she says. "I encourage other people to be brave and fight for what they want regardless of their weakness." Photo: Rasha Abo Kharroub/NRC

Sahar is a 13-year-old Palestinian girl who lives in South Lebanon. She was excited to participate in NRC’s outdoor activities.

“It is the first time I’ve tried horseback riding or using an ATV. I have a delayed growth disorder in my left hand and leg which limits me. Because of it I hadn’t previously been courageous enough to challenge my condition and experience different things like these activities. I wouldn’t normally experience the happiness I’ve felt today.

“I encourage other people to be brave and fight for what they want regardless of their weakness, and respect that everyone is different.”

The learning support programme that Sahar attends is funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

- Sahar, 13, a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon

Yasmine, 10, is one of our students who is enrolled in the education program, in one of NRC's tented school in Lebanon's Bekaa valley.

"Here at NRC, we come to study. The English teacher, Lina, teaches us a lot of good lessons. I love the English subject, and I am very good at it," said Yasmine.

She continues, " I like studying because I have fun with my friends at school, and we study. When I grow up, I want to teach students at the university. I want to teach students things that they benefit from.

Yasmine likes to spend more time at the school, rather than staying at home doing nothing or fighting with her siblings.

Her favorite subject is mathematics, because she feels active when she studies it, " my brain works comfortably, it motivates my brain just like sports motivates my body. I want to be a mathematics teacher in the future," said Yasmine.

"My father helps me in doing my home works that I don’t know how to solve them, but he usually encourages me to study by own and depend on myself," Yasmine explained.

She wishes that she can go home to Syria, so she can meet het grandmother and aunts again. " What I miss about Syria the most , is sitting with my aunt, Reem, in our garden, where we drink “Matte”, and listen to music," Yasmine concluded.

Photo: Elias Abu Ata/NRC. — Yasmine, 10, loves studying. "I want to be a mathematics teacher because I love mathematics," she says. "It motivates my brain just like sport motivates my body." Photo credit: Elias Abu Ata/NRC

“Here at NRC, we come to study. I like studying because I have fun with my friends at school and we study well. When I grow up, I want to become a university teacher. I want to teach students things that they can benefit from.

“I want to be a mathematics teacher because I love mathematics. I feel active and my brain works comfortably when I study maths. It motivates my brain just like sport motivates my body.

“I wish we could return to Syria so I could meet my grandmother and aunts again. I miss being together with my aunt, Reem, in our garden and just having a good time together.”

Yasmine attends one of NRC’s tented schools in the Bekaa Valley, funded by the German Development Bank.

- Yasmine, 10, a Syrian refugee in Lebanon

*Samar, 12, a Syrian refugee in Lebanon

I have been in Lebanon for 7 years.
We used to live in a big house in Syria with a garden. We planted olive trees, pomegranate, grapes, parsley and we used to play on the swing which we hung on the pomegranate tree. We had lot of fun times, my sisters and I, back in Syria. Now I have nothing to do.

I watch TV, I visit my friends, or help my mother with the house chores. I like drawing, my favourite colour is blue, I use it the most when I paint.

If the war had never happened in Syria, we would be happy, living the whole family together. All my relatives stayed there, only we came here.

I miss my friends a lot. We used to do lots of things together, going to school and playing. I lost my contact with them.

I like spending more time in the education centre here. My favourite subject is English.

Photo: Nadine Malli/NRC — Samar, 12, misses her old friends from Syria. "We used to do lots of things together," she says, "but I lost contact with them when we came to Lebanon." Photo: Nadine Malli/NRC

“We used to live in a big house in Syria with a garden. We planted olive trees, pomegranates, grapes, parsley and we used to play on the swing which we hung on the pomegranate tree.

“We would be home living all together in Syria if the war had never happened. I miss my relatives and I miss my friends a lot. We used to do lots of things together, but I lost contact with them when we came to Lebanon.

“Here I watch TV, visit my friends, or help my mother with the house chores. I like drawing and painting. My favourite colour is blue – it’s the one I use the most when I paint.

“We had lot of fun times, my sisters and I, back in Syria. Now I wouldn’t have much to do if it weren’t for the education centre where I study my favourite subject, English.”

- Samar, 12, a Syrian refugee in Lebanon

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How you can support girls who have been forced to flee

Would you like to help support the 70.8 million people displaced by war and persecution worldwide? You can contribute to our work in the following ways:

Make a donation to NRC today – via our safe and easy online donation system.
Start your own fundraising page – and invite friends and family to help you reach your target.
Read about ten things YOU can do for the world’s refugees – and discover some creative ways that you can raise money and awareness.

For alternative ways to donate, or if you’re a US citizen looking to make a 100% tax-deductible donation, please see our Make a difference page.

Thank you! Together we can save lives and rebuild futures.