Virtual, Yet Actual Reality of Refugee's Life

📖 The Story

Who, When, and Where — Context

In 2015, the life of Sidra, a 12-year-old Syrian girl living at the Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan, was recorded by filmmakers in partnership with United Nations agencies.

Why — Challenge

Life at a refugee camp is beyond the imagination of those who live a safe, privileged life at home. As a consequence, cultivating a shared understanding of reality through traditional communication channels such as documentary videos and written articles becomes significantly difficult. Without an accurate awareness of their great vulnerability, it’d be challenging to trigger collective actions and bring hope to humanity.

What and How — Tech Solution

To make the reality of refugees more tangible for general audiences, the producers of the Clouds Over Sidra film captured and published their life as a 360-degree, virtual reality (VR)-ready video. Unlike flat 2D videos, the 3D experience allows audiences to “feel” closer to the scenes. The medium generates greater empathy and new perspectives on the global challenge and motivates people to act.

💡 Key Insights

• 💓 Empathy can amplify change. Thus, changemakers must convey authentic stories effectively to the public.

• 📽️ Storytelling can take various forms depending on the local context, target audience, and nature of the problem you are dealing with.

• 📖 Story empowers data-driven facts. Logic is not everything for human behaviors, and stimulating emotions through stories can make information more “trustworthy.”

✅ Try This

Watch “Clouds Over Sidra” on YouTube while moving the 360-degree camera from the top-left arrows. What kind of challenges children might have experienced at the refugee camp, by staying away from their homes in Syria?

📊 Did You Know?

As of Dec 31, 2024, more than 4.7 million registered Syrian refugees are living in host countries like Türkiye, Lebanon, and Jordan — UNHCR reported.