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Refugee children draw their hopes and fears on polaroid portraits

Children drew their dreams and their fears

Children drew their dreams and their fears (Picture: Save the Children)

Refugee children have drawn their dreams and fears on polaroid portraits of them, taken in the camps they had to flee to.

The children, many of whom have witnessed atrocities, remained hopeful, sketching out their ambitions for the future such as becoming footballers or doctors.

They are living in the three biggest refugee camps in the world, in Bangladesh, Jordan and Uganda, after having to leave their homes.

For World Refugee Day, we looked at some of the photos the children made.

Beaufret*,14, drew the horrors he witnessed in the Democratic Republic of Congo before he and his family fled to Uganda.

Describing his first picture, he said: Here is my house. Here is the person who cut my father. Here are the others, already dead. We are jumping over them while we are running. You can see the blood when they are dead…

Polaroids from child refugees

(Picture: Save the Children)

The second image shows his dream for the future: Here I am standing and the local doctors when we are helping people. Here we are finished now in the hospital, we are now playing football.

Polaroids from child refugees

(Picture: Save the Children)

Hasina*, 13, is a Rohinyga refugee girl living with her parents and four siblings in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh.

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She likes to make flowers and learn handicrafts and her favourite subject is Burmese because it reminds her of home.

I was afraid of ghosts when I first came to the camp because they make the people senseless and sometimes crazy. Ghosts are what dead people become, Hasina said.

Describing her dream, she said: I want to be a tailor when I am older and to make my own clothes and I can use the money I make [tailoring] to get treatment if I became ill and to help my family.

Polaroids from child refugees

(Picture: Save the Children)

Polaroids from child refugees

(Picture: Save the Children)

Omar*, 15, from Daraa Syria

He has lived half his life in Zaatari refugee camp, Jordan. He says he was very happy in Syria but his family had to leave because they were close to a lot of death and their house was destroyed.

Polaroids from child refugees

(Picture: Save the Children)

I have drawn a doctor because this is what I want to be – I want to build a hospital and call it Syria. My dad hopes I will become a doctor. I also want to be a footballer – here you can see my fans chanting my name. I also, want to help all the refugees in the future. Like provide aid for them and help them access education because Im a refugee too.

Fatima*, 13, Rohingya refugee girl in Coxs Bazar

She lives with her parents, two sisters and grandfather in Bangladesh, and dreams of becoming a teacher.

When we first came to Bangladesh there were lots of dogs and snakes, she said. It was scary. There were also no latrines to go the toilet. We could bring no clothes with us when we left our home, we suffered lots of difficulties.

Polaroids from child refugees

(Picture: Save the Children)

We also could not bring any cooking utensils to cook with. When we first arrived in Bangladesh a local family helped us to eat and we took shelter in their home. Gradually, over time we got the materials to build a house and things to cook with.

Polaroids from child refugees

(Picture: Save the Children)

Mamadou, 14, from Congo

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He said: I have been in Uganda for three years. The situation for us was really bad in Congo – we used to be farmers but the harvest was taken by the rebels.

They would enter the village and ask people for money, and those who didnt have any money would get beaten or even killed.

My father was kidnapped and taken out in the jungle by the rebels, but he managed to escape and fled to Uganda, and from there he got in touch with us and we left Congo as well.

Polaroids from child refugees

(Picture: Save the Children)

Polaroids from child refugees

(Picture: Save the Children)

Prisca, 14, from Congo

She said: We have been in Uganda for one year now. Our life in Congo was really hard, the rebels came into our village, and raided our homes and took everything and beat up everyone. And one day my father was taken from our house by the rebels and killed, so we decided to run for our lives. I have a very strong memory of the day he was killed. He pleaded for his life in vain. In the future I just want Read More – Source

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