Hussein
Hussein, a 50-year-old father of three, speaks about the start of the Syrian conflict:
"Of course, here it is different, here in Canada you have freedom and human rights. But in Syria before the war, there was pressure on citizens and everything you did had to be approved by the Syrian private investigators that belonged to the Syrian regime. That is why people started the demonstrations, and the revolution in Syria.
When the protests started in Daraa, we first left to Al Hasakah city, it was about 800 kilometers away from Daraa. But after some time, there were problems and killings also happening in Al Hasakah, so we left for Jordan. We left Syria and left everything behind, we did not take anything with us. We lost everything we had, and we went to Jordan with zero money."
Hussein's story of leaving everything behind highlights the material struggles of Syrian refugees during the - often extended - periods of time in which they find themselves on the move. This photo essay tells a similar story, demonstrating - through the few items in their possession - the hardships faced by refugees, and the ways in which they attempt to mitigate the risks they must take, particularly in crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
