LEBANON. Beirut. February 2025. Tigist*, 30, and her 2-year-old son at an Ethiopian shelter in Beirut. She has spent 11 years in Lebanon to date.
At just 19 years old, Tigist* came to Lebanon hoping to earn a living. Around 5 years ago, she married a man from Sudan who, after the birth of her 2-year-old son, became abusive. He kicked them out of the house, and they became homeless.

“I haven’t been able to support myself and my son. We rely on external help, from the embassy or organisations,” says Tigist*. “No one is giving me any work because I can’t take my son with me. I feel scared and abandoned, as if having a baby is a fault. Everyone gave up on me after I delivered my child. This world doesn’t see us [migrant workers] as human.”

*Name changed to protect identity