Left Behind

In a field near Dunkirk, over a thousand refugees are waiting for the possibility to cross to the United Kingdom. Most are Kurdish, who have left their respective areas in Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran due to war or persecution. Many are young men looking for better opportunity, some are families looking simply for safety. Some food, shelter, and clothing is provided to them by good samaritans in the area, or groups of unofficial aid workers who drive in vans from the U.K. or mainland Europe. Despite the good intentions, with no organization or communication between these aid groups, there is sometimes waste, and inefficiency. While governments flounder with how to handle the influx of refugees to Europe, winter is approaching, and with it rain, mud and cold. Those that are able bodied try to steal across the Channel Tunnel on lorries or trains, but every morning there are stories of deaths or grave injuries by those who attempt the crossing. Meanwhile, people continue to wait patiently, some taking solace in the fact that their situation in this muddy, rat infested field, is still better than the life they left behind.