Refugee Crisis Leaves Beirut Streets Filled With Syrian Beggars And Destitute

BEIRUT, LEBANON - NOVEMBER 16: Fatma, a Syrian woman from the city of Idlib, begs with her two children in a wealthy district of Beirut on November 16, 2013 in Beirut, Lebanon. As the war in neighboring Syria drags on for a third year, Lebanon, a country of only 4 million people, is now home to the largest number of Syrian refugees who have fled the conflict. The situation is beginning to put huge social and political strains on Lebanon as there is currently no end in sight to the war in Syria. According to the United Nations, almost two million Syrian refugees have been forced to flee their homes due to the ongoing war. Of those, around half are believed to be children. While there is no official data on the number of children and adults working on the streets Lebanon, it is estimated that it could be anywhere from 50,000 to 70,000. In wealthy districts of Beirut children and adults are viewed on nearly every block begging, looking through trash or offering pedestrians a shoe shine. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)