The factory boy – Child labour

Lebanon

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Raait, Eastern Lebanon. 2016 Quarries and cement factory. According to many reports of international NGOs, a growing number of Syrian refugee children are being pushed into the labor market to support their families, often in dangerous conditions. Adding to the psychological trauma already impacting many children, the experiences associated with these worst forms of child labour can cause long-term developmental and psychological damage. © Laura Aggio Caldon

© Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 Ahmad (13) with his father. They left Syria ( Homs), with their family, five years ago. Their father remembers that there was a military confrontation between the Syrian military and the Syrian opposition in their city, in the first months of 2011. The city was under siege and their father was likely to be recruited by ISIS, so the family sought refuge in Lebanon, but the Lebanon is very expensive for a family that lost everything. Ahmad works in construction as his father. © Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 Refugees camp © Laura Aggio Caldon

Rait, Eastern Lebanon. 2016 Quarries and cement factory. Nasrallah (15), Mohammad (8). © Laura Aggio Caldon

Rait, Eastern Lebanon. 2016 Quarries and cement factory. Bleibas (13) © Laura Aggio Caldon

© Laura Aggio Caldon

Rait, Eastern Lebanon. 2016 Quarries and cement factory. © Laura Aggio Caldon

© Laura Aggio Caldon

Rait, Eastern Lebanon. 2016 Quarries and cement factory. Mohammad (8). © Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 Mahmoud (10) with his father, Khalil. Khalil isn’t working since he was injured in the hands. When he worked his salary was enough to pay the rent apartment that he shares with other four families. He had to borrow from neighbors to pay medical bills and now he is forced to seek employment for his children. © Laura Aggio Caldon

Zahle, Lebanon. 2016 Saddam (13) © Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 Bader (13) He left Syria two months ago. He lives with his mother and sisters, is the only man in the family. His father is under siege in Syria ( near Damascus), but his family decided to get away for fear that Bader would be drafted into the army of the regime. Many Syrians claimed that the army enlists children of 14 years. In Lebanon he was working as a mechanic but after two days of illness he was fired. The child workers are not entitled to sickness and many other rights. © Laura Aggio Caldon

© Laura Aggio Caldon

© Laura Aggio Caldon

Rait, Eastern Lebanon. 2016 Quarries and cement factory. More than 80% of workers are Syrians and many of them work and live in the cement factory, in small concrete room, paying a rent of $200 for a room of few square meters. The work take place at night, between midnight and 8 am. Some workers having breakfast with tea and coffee after the heavy work in cement plant. © Laura Aggio Caldon

Rait, Eastern Lebanon. 2016 Quarries and cement factory. © Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 Bader (13) with his family. He left Syria two months ago. He lives with his mother and sisters, is the only man in the family. His father is under siege in Syria ( near Damascus), but his family decided to get away for fear that Bader would be drafted into the army of the regime. Many Syrians claimed that the army enlists children of 14 years. In Lebanon he was working as a mechanic but after two days of illness he was fired. The child workers are not entitled to sickness and many other rights. © Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 Mohammad (11). He left Syria ( Homs), with his family, five years ago. He works in construction for seven days a week. He doesn’t go to school but he want to study and become an architect. He said: I don’t remember the Syria, but I remember that my uncle took me to swim in the pool and he bought me ice cream. He speaks of those past moments of childhood when he begins to cry, only a few tears as who is ashamed of being still a child. © Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 Garbage dump for the recovery of iron and iron alloys. Two young boys (15) dismount and divide the car bodies left in landfill. For the heavy and dangerous jobs are often recruited Syrian underage guys, because they accept low wages. © Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 Ahmad (13) and his brother Mohammad (11). They left Syria ( Homs), with their family, five years ago. Their father remembers that there was a military confrontation between the Syrian military and the Syrian opposition in their city, in the first months of 2011. The city was under siege and their father was likely to be recruited by ISIS, so the family sought refuge in Lebanon, but the Lebanon is very expensive for a family that lost everything. Ahmad and his brother Mohammad work in construction, they start work at 6.00 am and return home in the evening, but despite the many hours of work on their salary is only $6 per day. Ahmad proudly displays his shoulder that he injured by carrying bags of cement, he feels a man in spite of his young age. © Laura Aggio Caldon

Zahle, Lebanon. 2016 Mohamed (15). © Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 © Laura Aggio Caldon

© Laura Aggio Caldon

Rait, Eastern Lebanon. 2016 Quarries and cement factory. © Laura Aggio Caldon

© Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 Mohammad (11) with his brother. He left Syria ( Homs), with his family, five years ago. He works in construction for seven days a week. He doesn’t go to school but he want to study and become an architect. © Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 © Laura Aggio Caldon

© Laura Aggio Caldon

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 2016 Refugees camp © Laura Aggio Caldon