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The Oil Child Workers of Syria

Published November 24th, 2021 - 11:19 GMT

Syrian children have no choice but to work as life challenges keep rising amid decade-long war where accessibility to education is non-existent in most of the areas. Moreover, some Syrian kids are responsible for a whole family.

For example, the 15-year-old orphan, Mohammad Makhzoum, was banned from school and forced to work for as long as 12 hours a day in an oil refinery to support his younger family members, AFP reported.

The little boy said he doesn't want his siblings to meet the fate that has beset so many of Syria's children. Unfortunately, Mohammad is not the only Syrian kid who is forced to leave his school to work in order to support his family.

UN's children agency UNICEF revealed in a report that around 2.5 million kids in Syria are out of school, with another 1.6 million at risk of dropping out.

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Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria

Syrian 12-year-old Amer al-Shayban stands by a smokestack as he works at a makeshift oil refinery near the Turkish-controlled northern city of al-Bab, on November 20, 2021. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)

Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria

Syrian boys transport coal as they work at a makeshift oil refinery near the Turkish-controlled northern city of al-Bab, on November 20, 2021. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)

Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria

As it marked World Children's Day on November 20, the agency estimated that nine in ten children live in poverty and more than 5,700 children – some as young as seven – were recruited into the fighting. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)

Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria

A displaced young Syrian boy works at a makeshift oil refinery near the village of Tarhin in an area under the control of Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, on February 25, 2021. AFP / Bakr ALKASEM

Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria

A displaced Syrian boy holds a bottle of oil at a makeshift refinery near Tarhin village in areas under the control of Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, on February 25, 2021. Amateur refineries that have sprung up in Syria are causing health and pollution problems in the region. / AFP / Bakr ALKASEM

Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria

A displaced young Syrian boy works at a makeshift oil refinery near the village of Tarhin in an area under the control of Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, on February 25, 2021. Amateur refineries that have sprung up in Syria are causing health and pollution problems in the region. / AFP / Bakr ALKASEM

Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria

Displaced young Syrian boys work at a makeshift oil refinery near the village of Tarhin in an area under the control of Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, on February 25, 2021. Amateur refineries that have sprung up in Syria are causing health and pollution problems in the region. / AFP / Bakr ALKASEM

Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria

A displaced Syrian boy is pictured at a makeshift oil refinery near the village of Tarhin in an area under the control of Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, on February 25, 2021. Amateur refineries that have sprung up in Syria are causing health and pollution problems in the region. / AFP / Bakr ALKASEM

Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria

A worker at a primitive oil refinery poses for a picture at the facility in the town of al-Qahtaniya in Syria's Kurdish-controlled northeastern Hasakah province, near the border with Turkey, on November 15, 2021. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP)

Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Syrian 12-year-old Amer al-Shayban stands by a smokestack as he works at a makeshift oil refinery near the Turkish-controlled northern city of al-Bab, on November 20, 2021. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Syrian boys transport coal as they work at a makeshift oil refinery near the Turkish-controlled northern city of al-Bab, on November 20, 2021. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
As it marked World Children's Day on November 20, the agency estimated that nine in ten children live in poverty and more than 5,700 children – some as young as seven – were recruited into the fighting. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
A displaced young Syrian boy works at a makeshift oil refinery near the village of Tarhin in an area under the control of Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, on February 25, 2021. AFP / Bakr ALKASEM
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
A displaced Syrian boy holds a bottle of oil at a makeshift refinery near Tarhin village in areas under the control of Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, on February 25, 2021. Amateur refineries that have sprung up in Syria are causing health and pollution problems in the region. / AFP / Bakr ALKASEM
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
A displaced young Syrian boy works at a makeshift oil refinery near the village of Tarhin in an area under the control of Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, on February 25, 2021. Amateur refineries that have sprung up in Syria are causing health and pollution problems in the region. / AFP / Bakr ALKASEM
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
Displaced young Syrian boys work at a makeshift oil refinery near the village of Tarhin in an area under the control of Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, on February 25, 2021. Amateur refineries that have sprung up in Syria are causing health and pollution problems in the region. / AFP / Bakr ALKASEM
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
A displaced Syrian boy is pictured at a makeshift oil refinery near the village of Tarhin in an area under the control of Turkish-backed factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, on February 25, 2021. Amateur refineries that have sprung up in Syria are causing health and pollution problems in the region. / AFP / Bakr ALKASEM
Oil Refinery's Child Workers in Syria
A worker at a primitive oil refinery poses for a picture at the facility in the town of al-Qahtaniya in Syria's Kurdish-controlled northeastern Hasakah province, near the border with Turkey, on November 15, 2021. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP)

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