UNHCR
Title: Amer: Working Boy
Location: Beirut, Lebanon
Date: November 28, 2013
Language: Nat/Arabic
Source: Zahra Mackaoui/Edith Champagne/Eujin Byun
Date Shoot: September 12, 2013
Duration: 2:15
Format: 16:9
Amer is a 16 year old refugee from Daraa, Syria who was forced to flee to Lebanon, after his house was destroyed. The bombing severly injured his father, who lost his leg. Both his parents went immediately to Jordan, so his father could receive treatment. When Amer realized they would have to stay there for a long time, he took the decision to travel alone to Beirut, to live with his elder sister. As soon as he settled, he sent for his two younger sisters, they now live all together in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
As soon as Amer arrived he went out to find work. One of the first places he stopped was a mechanic near his house. Even though he had no experience, the owner decided to give Amer a chance. Within a week he had proved himself a hard worker. Amer has been there for a year and now he can change oil and filters and even pull an entire engine out of a car.
Amer likes his job and he knows he is happy to be learning a trade. Along with his brother in law, he helps to support his sisters. He likes to be responsible. He hopes that one day he can go back to Syria to resume his studies, which he had to give up when he fled to Lebanon. More than anything he wants to be reunited with his family and return to the life he had before the war, when they were all together.
SHOTLIST
OO:00-00:07 WS Amer getting under car
00:07-00:13 MS Amer under car
00:13-00:19 CU Amer’s face
00:19-00:24 CU Amer’s hand with screwdriver
00:24-00:31 MS Amer under car
00:31-00:35 MS Amer’s feet under car
00:35 -01:22 CLIP: Amer, Syrian refugee (Arabic)
I am from a city near Daraa in Syria. We used to go to school, we had a good life, we were with all our family. WE would visit relatives and they would visit us.
We were outside the house when the missile hit. My Dad was injured, his leg was cut off. Our house was destroyed, my father went to Jordan to get treated. I came here to Lebanon alone. They told us my father’s treatment would take a while, so I brought my sisters here. I look after them. My mother is with my father in Jordan, I hope we can all join them there.
01.22-01:27 MS Amer looking inside bonnet of the car
01:27-01:33 CUAmer’s hands fixing inside the bonnet
01:33-01:39 MS Amer looking into bonnet
01:39-01:53 CLIP: Amer, Syrian refugee (Arabic)
Yes I like this job, so I am sticking to it. The manager treats me like a son, he gives me what I need.
01:53-01:58 WS boys working on car
01:58-02:02 MS Amer under the car
02:02-02:16 CLIP: Amer, Syrian refugee (Arabic)
I hope our family is reunited and we can go back to Syria, once the situation calms down. I want to carry on learning this trade, but I also want to go back to school. My studies are more important because I stopped them.