photograph by Sebastiao Salgado
Hillary Mayell of National Geographic says that of the 35 million people who have had to flee from their homes facing conflict, more than 17 million are children. Not even half of those live in camps provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
How are these children affected? It is not enough for them to be helped physically, with food, water, and other staples. Emotionally and physiologically, things will never be the same.
The innocent child in the photo is unaware of the hardships and trials, as many young children are. She is unaware that her life isn't just as good as any other child's. How will this affect her when she comes to be an adult?
I have a friend who was a refugee of Turkey as a teenager. To this day, every aspect of his life is affected by it. He tells of nights he can't sleep because he is remembering all that happened. He tells his story so that people will know and be aware.
Salgado, Sebastiao. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York: Aperture, 2000. Print.
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