Kawrgosk refugee camp – a photo-story

Kawrgosk refugee camp

KT Photo-Story:

The Kawrgosk Refugee Camp was built on 15 Aug 2013, near an oil refinery in Khabat outside of Hawler. Its 419,000-square-metre capacity was initially intended for 10,000 people but today it shelters just over 12,000 refugees, mostly from Qamishly in Western Kurdistan (North Syria). The residents have been provided with all their basic household equipment and the average household has 30 square metres in which to pitch a tent. There is one latrine and one shower for every 30 people.

Loqman is a Kawrgosk resident, lives with his wife and five children under one tent. He has recently acquired permit to leave the camp and work as a construction worker: “Due to the cold and wet season, there is not much job available, but even if I can work two days a week, it is enough to support my family.” Loqman stated: “families in the camp who haven’t got at least a ‘young capable’ male with them, their lives are tougher than the rest in every way.”

Loqman, a Kawrgosk resident, lives with his wife and five children under one tent. He has recently acquired a permit to leave the camp and work as a construction worker: “Due to the cold and wet season, there is not much jobs available, but even if I can work two days a week, it is enough to support my family.” Loqman adds: “Families in the camp who haven’t got at least a ‘young capable’ male with them, their lives are tougher than the rest in every way.”

Avin thinks, ‘It is tough to live in a camp, but it is even tougher if you are a woman, especially with young children. The water tanks are further afield and fuel supply isn’t enough to keep warm in the tents.’

Yousef is father of three young children, youngest being eight months old while the oldest is six years old. He cannot find a job despite trying very hard, and struggling to find mild for the baby. Said: “I cannot afford to buy mild because I cannot find a job. I have tried to ask the charity organisations that are here to support us, but they do not have any supply left.”

Yousef is father of three young children, from eight months to six years old. He cannot find a job despite trying very hard, and is struggling to get milk for the baby. He says: “I cannot afford to buy milk because I cannot find a job. I have tried to ask the charity organisations here to support us, but they do not have any supply left.”

Ali is running a small corner shop in a tent. With his seven children, they live under what he describes as ‘a tent and a half’. Ali said: “Every four tents, we have two plastic cubicles to share between us, one of them is used as a portarloo and the other as a shower. It’s not easy when you have teenage daughters in this situation.”

Ali is running a small corner shop in a tent. With his seven children, they live under what he describes as ‘a tent and a half’. Ali says: “Every four or five tents, we have two plastic cubicles to share between us, one of them is used as a portaloo and the other as a shower. It’s not easy when you have teenage daughters in this situation.”