Present and the future in drawings by refugee children from Syria living in Lebanon

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present the present life and future (dreams) of Syrian refugee children living with their families in informal/illegal places of residence in Lebanon. Research among refugees was conducted in the city of Zahle in 2017. The first part of the article characterizes the projection method used to analyze the drawings. The second part of the article presents the methodology of my own research in the Syrian community in the refugee camps. The third part analyzes the drawings of life in Lebanon and the drawings depicting the dreams and future of children and young people. The last part is a summary of my own research. On their basis it can be seen that most of the childrens drawings about life in Lebanon are poor in content. The dominant theme is the family home: barracks or tents. The buildings are disproportionately large compared to the figures, some dont have the windows or they are very small under the roof, some dont have the doors. Many buildings and tents dont have basis. The figures are usually small, without certain body parts. From the analysis of the drawings as well as from the children's comments, we can learn about the many negative emotions experienced by young refugees. These include sadness, depression, anxiety, fear, frustration, hostility, shyness, and insecurity. It is also a lack of self-esteem and a lack of self-confidence. When it comes to works about the future, most of them are rich in content compared to works about life in Lebanon. The family home is also the dominant theme. The studies show no perspectives for the future of the surveyed children.