The One Thing

The one item Syrian refugees made sure to grab before leaving home.

BY BRIAN SOKOL | MARCH 12, 2013

Eight-year-old May is pictured in Domiz camp in Iraqi Kurdistan. The girl and her family made their way by foot and bus hundreds of kilometers from Damascus to the border, where they followed a rough trail in the cold while her mother carried her baby brother. Since arriving in Domiz, she has had recurring nightmares. The most important thing she was able to bring with her when she left home is the set of bracelets she wears in this photograph. "The bracelets aren't my favorite things," she says, "My doll Nancy is." But the toy was left behind in the rush to leave.

UNHCR/B. Sokol

 

Brian Sokol is a U.S.-born freelance photographer focused on documenting human rights issues and humanitarian crises in developing and post-conflict societies. Previously based in South Asia and South Sudan, he is now in New York but continues to cover social issues in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East for a broad range of editorial, NGO, and humanitarian clients. He is currently working on a recurring series, "The Most Important Thing," on what refugees around the world have made sure to carry with them from their homes, with support from UNHCR.