Jamila Jad - Beirut, Lebanon (detail)
Jamila is a bright, intelligent, and ambitious young girl who attends 3rd grade at public elementary school. Jamila has big dreams just like any other 9 year-old girl would have.
Being the oldest of four children, Jamila takes a lot of responsibility around the house and also helps take care of her three younger brothers, Hamza, Ahmad and Abdoula.
Hamza is a 7 year-old, talented drummer and yoyo enthusiast. Ahmad is a 6 year-old, inquisitive and very friendly boy. He suffers from asthma. Abdoula is a 2 year-old, curious and very strong toddler.
Her father has been fighting Hepatitis C, and cannot work to support the family. Her mother works a cleaning job that keeps the family fed. Jamila’s family also receives help from NISCVT Social Services, to pay for rent and for her father’s medical needs.
Jamila’s mother earns $200 a month working as a cleaner in a government school. The family also receives $60 per month in aid for the children from foreign countries, as well as $960 a year from a Malaysian family for Ramadan. The family receives a total of $2400 + 720 in aid + $960 donation yearly = $4080 This means the family lives on $11.2 a day divided by 6 family members. This comes out to about $1.8 dollars a day per family member.
The camp where Jamila lives suffered extensive property damage and displacement of nearly a quarter of its population during the years of civil conflict. The men mainly work as casual laborers or manual workers and women find work in sewing factories and as cleaners.