Raising children in a tent city with fear and hardship around you every day is unimaginably difficult. Actress, mother, and International Medical Corps Global Ambassador Sienna Miller visited a Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon to meet with some of the mothers in this tough situation and learn more about their experiences, and their hopes for the future.
Photo Credit: Margaret Aguirre, International Medical Corps
“These Syrian families have lost loved ones, their homes and livelihoods, and witnessed unspeakable horrors,” Miller explains. “Throughout the crisis the true First Responders in Lebanon have been the host communities. It is the people of Lebanon who generously provided space, shared food and access to water, opened their health centers and their schools.”
Lebanon hosts 1.1 million Syrian refugees. The population of refugees alone currently makes up a quarter of Lebanon’s population.
Photo Credit: Margaret Aguirre, International Medical Corps
“The most vulnerable include pregnant women, and children under the age of five who have not received vaccinations for years during the war. There is also a severe risk of disease outbreaks in the settlements, where access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation is extremely challenging,” Miller reports.
Violence in the region is a constant threat. Ms. Miller’s trip was cut short by a suicide bombing in a nearby area.
Photo Credit: Margaret Aguirre, International Medical Corps
“Groups like International Medical Corps and donors such as the European Commission are achieving incredible things but it is important that the world does not forget about Syria’s refugees or their hosts in Lebanon,” Miller says. “I am doing all I can to stand behind these heroic individuals and raise awareness of the lifesaving work they are doing every day.”
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Learn more about the humanitarian work of International Medical Corps and the First Responders Campaign as they continue to assist those impacted by the crisis in Syria. Read more (and watch a video) about Sienna Miller’s trip from ITV.