Shatila refugee camp has very little free space; this was the widest street in the camp.

The refugees are forced to build upwards as Lebanese law forbids them from expanding their camp. The units can contain anywhere from four to twenty people.

A young girl waiting for her parents to pick her up from class. Najdeh is one of the few NGOs that offer informal education to children in the camp.

The apartments are stacked very high, blocking most sunlight from reaching the ground.

Hassan Basyouni, 12, Palestinian-Syrian, stands by his pet bird. “Back in Syria, we had a lot of birds,” his father said, smiling weakly, “I try to get some to keep him happy.”

The haphazard building and poor infrastructure create weak buildings which collapse easily.

“No matter where I go, Syria, Lebanon, I am in Palestine. I cannot live there so I carry it in my heart.”

Noor Al-Samoon, 60, Palestinian-Syrian

Children pour out of every corner even though it is 11 AM on a school day. Some parents have said that the political situation in Lebanon is too dangerous for them to send their children to schools outside of the camp, and they lack opportunities within its boundaries.