UNHCR
Title: Lebanon: Fadia’s Story
File name: 2014_07_03_lebanon_fadia_story
Date shot: July 3rd & May 14th, 2014
Date aired: July 8th, 2014
Source: Sat Nandlall/Marc Hofer/ Zahra Mackaoui/ Edith Champagne
Location: Donnyeh, Lebanon
Sound: Nat/Arabic
Duration: 02:33
Format: 16:9
BACKGROUND
Syrians fleeing the conflict in their home countries face many hardships as refugees. The situation is tougher for widowed women who have not only lost their husbands in the conflict but are now having to fend for themselves. Fadia is one such brave woman. When shelling killed her husband over two years ago she insisted on staying in Syria to see the conflict through. But when a bomb fell on the house injuring her and her children, Fadia was left with one option; fleeing across the border into Lebanon.
A former nurse, Fadia found life in Lebanon to be difficult especially without employment. She is lucky to be living in a shelter paid for by aid agencies but food and other necessities are harder to come by.
Fadia is one of 145,000Syrian families in Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq headed by women. Poverty, isolation, and fear of exploitation are just some of the hardships they face. This week, UNHCR released a report, Woman Alone, based on the testimonies of 135 Syrian refugee women like Fadia.
SCRIPT
Fadia gets her children ready for school… One after the other they wait patiently for their turn.
It is a morning routine that Fadia used to share with her husband…
but the war in Syria took him from her… forcing her into early widowhood at the age of 31.
Now she is both mother and father to her four young children.
CLIP: FADIA, SYRIAN REFUGEE (ARABIC)
“When my husband was alive I didn’t have all the responsibilities. When I had to work I was comforted that he was at home and he could solve any problems. After he died, my fate changed overnight. Now I carry all the responsibilities.”
After her husband was killed, Fadia tried to stay on in Syria.
But a rocket attack on her home severely injured her and her youngest daughter, Aiysha,
Afraid for her children’s safety, she fled to neighbouring Lebanon.
But life here isn’t any easier.
Her savings are gone and there is no regular work.
Fadia now relies on donations from UNHCR and local partners to feed her children.
CLIP: FADIA, SYRIAN REFUGEE (ARABIC)
“Sometimes we delay breakfast so we can eat lunch late because we can only afford two meals a day. Sometimes it is one meal a day, depending on how much I can afford. Meat we eat once a month when we get food hand-outs.”
Fadia is not alone… Hers is one of 145,000 Syrian families in Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq headed by women.
Poverty, isolation, and fear of exploitation are just some of the hardships they face.
UNHCR released a report, Woman Alone, based on the testimonies of 135 Syrian refugee women like Fadia.
Women whose lives are filled with hardships…and whose future seems increasingly uncertain.
CLIP: FADIA, SYRIAN REFUGEE (ARABIC)
“We can’t help but wonder what will happen next to us. Maybe this situation will last for two years or more. Maybe we stay here. Maybe we will never go back to Syria. How long will we have to stay in this building? Maybe the landlord will kick us out… and then where can we go?”
Fadia finds some hope in the company of other women like her in this building.
Soon she will start a volunteer programme for UNHCR using her skills as a nurse.
All small comforts to help her survive… when the loss of her husband is just too heavy to bear.
SHOTLIST
00:00:00 – 00:00:03 MCU of Fadia brushing hair
00:00:03 – 00:00:05 MCU of Fadia’s youngest daughter
00:00:05 – 00:00:07 CU of pages being turned
00:00:07 – 00:00:12 Fadia and daughters practicing homework, small sound up
00:00:12 – 00:00:20 CU of Fadia combing son’s hair
00:00:20 – 00:00:30 MCU of Fadia and son, tilt down to other three daughters
00:00:30 – 00:00:44 CLIP: FADIA, SYRIAN REFUGEE (ARABIC)
“When my husband was alive I didn’t have all the responsibilities. When I had to work I was comforted that he was at home and he could solve any problems. After he died, my fate changed overnight. Now I carry all the responsibilities.”
00:00:44 – 00:00:57 CU of young daughter combing doll hair, tilt up to CU of her face
00:00:57 – 00:01:06 MED shot of Fadia straightening up flat
00:01:06 – 00:01:12 MWS of Fadia cleaning flat
00:01:12 – 00:01:14 CU of doll being dropped on floor
00:01:14 – 00:01:24 CLIP: FADIA, SYRIAN REFUGEE (ARABIC)
“Sometimes we delay breakfast so we can eat lunch late because we can only afford two meals a day. Sometimes it is one meal a day, depending on how much I can afford. Meat we eat once a month when we get food hand-outs.”
00:01:24 – 00:01:36 Fadia walking down stairs of dark hallway to the light of outdoors
00:01:36 – 00:01:43 WS of Fadia walking to the women sitting under the shelter
00:01:43 – 00:01:46 MS of two women sitting under shelter
00:01:46 – 00:01:50 - Young woman looking out over window
00:01:50 - 00:01:55 Women through the barred window
00:01:55 – 00:01:59 Women buying groceries from back of truck
00:01:59 – 00:02:13 CLIP: FADIA, SYRIAN REFUGEE (ARABIC)
“We can’t help but wonder what will happen next to us. Maybe this situation will last for two years or more. Maybe we stay here. Maybe we will never go back to Syria. How long will we have to stay in this building? Maybe the landlord will kick us out… and then where can we go?”
00:02:13 – 00:02:21 Sillhouette shot of Fadia in the window dissolve to:
00:02:21 – 00:02:28 Pan of land to Fadia in window
00:02:28 – 00:02:33 CU of Fadia’s eyes
END