Children find solace in art in Akre refugee camp

D. Morrow

9 October 2014

Akre

As unlikely as an old prison might be a source of refuge for displaced people, the converted barracks at Akre now provide safety and security for about 1,500 Syrian refugees, many of whom have been here for over a year.

Rise Foundation’s Castle Art project allows children in the camp to take control of their situation and find solace through art projects, specifically in the creation of murals on the interior walls of the camp. Since they started working here over a year ago, they have managed to complete a full quarter of the walls, now decorated with bright colors and images that remind the children who design them of home and family, among other themes. The completed walls are a stark contrast to the unfinished, unpainted parts of the compound, where families hang rugs, or small shops have been set up.

On the day I visited, the mural project was on a brief hiatus and children were working on decorating a playground located just outside the walls of the structure. The playground has been rejuvenated thanks to collaboration with local welders and builders, and now Rise is working with the children in the camp to put fresh white paint on the low walls around the space, and decorate the panels.

Children worked together to design images of cartoon characters and animals, and then, under the direction of one of the teachers and an artist from the camp, apply their designs onto the walls. 

The Castle Art project is successful because it allows the children to maintain their agency while fostering creativity. So far, the children working through Rise’s project have managed to transform what would have been a bleak, desperate space into something that reflects the brightness and hope of the people who live there.