Ain al-Helweh is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon with over 70,000 Palestinians
Published On 3 Apr 20113 Apr 2011
It is located on the outskirts of the southern coastal city of Sidon
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Declining living conditions, political instablity and unemployment in and outside the camp have deepened the mutual mistrust between the Palestinian occupants and the wider Lebanese population
The turbulent history between the two populations traces back to 1948, when the first Palestinians moved to Saida after being displaced by Israeli occupation
The years have seen PLO fighters roaming the streets, Lebanese militants attacking and besieging the camp, and heavy Israeli bombardments
Sidon has been often viewed as the breeding ground for militants in the region and hideout for criminals
In an move to improve the lives of the refugees, in 2006, Zakira, the non-profit organisation of Ramzi Haidar, an award-winning Lebanese photo journalist, helped provide 500 children with disposable cameras and train them in basic photography
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The result was a photography book called Lahza, and several international exhibitions of their pictures
In 2009, the project was taken to another level when Zakira began a nationwide training programme that aimed to better ties between young Lebanese and Palestinians together through open dialogue
The year long programme included all the 12 Palestinian camps in Lebanon and their surrounding Lebanese communities
Overall Zakira successfully trained over 200 Lebanese and Palestinian teenagers in advanced photography
This third generation of Palestinians in Lebanon is a group of ambitious and energetic hopefuls trying to breaking out of poverty and live their dreams
The result was a photography book called Lahza and several international exhibitions of the pictures
