Lebanon

As they have grown into a substantial part of Lebanese society, Syrian refugees have taken jobs to which the native population feels entitled. According to the World Bank, the increase in Syrian refugees is expected to "increase poverty and unemployment among the Lebanese, and further increase the already high budget deficit.” For many Lebanese citizens, this makes any continued influx of Syrian refugees untenable.

Bourj el-Barajneh and Shatila 

The Palestinian refugee camps of Bourj el-Barajneh and Shatila were crowded ghettos even before Syrians began flooding into Lebanon.  With the continued growth of the Syrian population, the camps are overwhelmed, struggling to provide the most basic services with already strained resources. 

Housing is cramped, and in many cases the one-room living quarters reek with fumes from sewage runoff just outside the door. Almost all refugees interviewed say they sought safe haven in the camps because they believed some Palestinian relative would aid in their relocation.

Many refugees complain of scarce access to food and an inability to find work. 
Instead of going to school, teenage boys often spend their time trying to find jobs to support their families in the camps.

Bekaa Valley

Conditions in the Bekaa Valley are arguably even worse than in the Palestinian camps.

Medical and educational resources are almost non-existent.

Most refugees relate stories of intense suffering in Syria because of the war, and in Lebanon due to their status as unwelcome guests. The majority do not expect to see any improvement in their condition.

Men seem largely unable to find work, and have sold almost everything they owned to pay for food or warm clothing to get through the winters. Local land owners reportedly steal aid packages containing food and supplies. 

The Syrian refugee women appear to be the only ones able to get jobs, working in the fields harvesting crops for local Lebanese farming communities.

Stories of rape and harassment by local Lebanese farmers of the women working for them are commonplace, but rarely discussed; the refugees view this abuse as something that has to be endured to keep food on the table. 

In spite of the desperation and deplorable conditions faced by many of Syria’s refugees in Lebanon, small glimmers of hope can be seen in the handful of primary schools set up to host Syrian children, and in some local land owners allowing refugees to live in their homes and properties, rent-free.