The refugees of San Lorenzo, Ecuador

ECUADOR | Friday, 5 July 2013 | Views [523] | View Smaller Image

Children are everywhere. Many are sent to school during the day, others do not attend school and spend their time playing and swimming at the dock. On the warmest of days, the dock is slick with water as youngsters take turns launching themselves into the water below.

Tags: refugee, refugees, asylum seekers, colombia, colombian refugees, ecuador, human rights, san lorenzo

Refugees arriving by boat land at this dock, on the shores of San Lorenzo. Having fled various forms of persecution, including forced recruitment, Colombian refugees find relative safety here. Yet life in San Lorenzo is far from easy. Discrimination, unemployment, and fear of being arrested or detained are constant threats.

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A large portion of the refugees in San Lorenzo live near the mangroves in stilt houses. As the tides rise, the floor beneath the houses are cleaned of debris and waste. The wooden boards that lead to and between the houses test ones balance, especially after heavy rain. Pictured here, a young boy is helped up by his siblings after falling from the house where he lives.

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The refugees of San Lorenzo, Ecuador

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