Over more than a decade of reporting I have filed stories (print, radio and multimedia) from Jerusalem, Tunis, Jakarta, Beirut, Amman, Amsterdam and Athens on topics ranging from women’s rights to protests to refugees. My work has appeared in Al Jazeera, the BBC, IRIN, PRI, Monocle, Middle East Eye, Reuters, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Beast and Vice. Below is a selection of my work.
I was previously Monocle’s Business Editor and their correspondent in Lebanon and The Netherlands, during which time I interviewed numerous senior figures, including politicians, mayors, CEOs and an International Criminal Court judge. You can read some of my work for the magazine here. I also co-authored the Monocle travel guides to Beirut and Amsterdam.
Multimedia
What’s it like to be a young Palestinian in Lebanon? – An immersive multimedia piece allowing viewers to live a life in the week of Sara, Mohammad and Ali. (IRIN)
The refugee crisis through the eyes of Syrian children – Twelve young aspiring journalists were given pen, paper and a camera and asked about their life in Lebanon, part of a project I ran for UNICEF. (Buzzfeed)
The battle for Beirut’s skyline – A photo story looking at how Beirut’s architectural heritage is being repurposed and revitalised. (Al Jazeera)
Lebanon under fire – An interactive timeline detailing the effect of the Syrian civil war on Lebanon and the country’s resulting slow descent into chaos. (The Daily Star)
Women/gender/sexuality
Growing up as a refugee: “I missed my childhood” – For Syrian refugees in Lebanon, child marriage and child labour are often a harsh reality. (Al Jazeera)
A Dutch brothel where women work for themselves – Can prostitution be done ethically? My Red Light, an Amsterdam-based initiative led by sex workers, is giving it a go. (PRI)
A women’s health center for Syrian refugees is helping Jordanian women, too – A visit to a family health clinic in an impoverished part of rural Jordan reveals how the refugee crisis is affecting local women as well. (PRI)
For these Syrian women, their 20s have been defined by war – Three women reflect on how the uncertainty of refugeehood has affected their lives in different ways. (PRI)
Profile: Lebanese presidential candidate Nadine Moussa – Amid the many problems facing Lebanon’s political landscape, this lawyer and activist may just be what the country needs. (Monocle)
This woman never had a paying job in Syria. Now she’s started a business in Lebanon – A look at how female refugees used to being housewives have found themselves unexpectedly working – and learning about themselves in the process. (PRI)
“Help me before my relatives kill me”: aiding abortion in the Middle East – A profile of Dutch NGO Women on Web, which is helping provide safe abortions to women in Arab countries where the procedure is illegal. (Middle East Eye)
“We don’t believe you’re gay”: LGBT refugees in the Netherlands lose hope – Forced to go to extraordinary lengths to prove their sexuality, asylum seekers are reassessing their view of the Netherlands as a tolerant place (Middle East Eye)
The Netherlands
Does Geert Wilders really matter? – He is unlikely to form a government, so why is he getting so much attention and what do the Dutch actually think of him? (Al Jazeera)
“Hatred and fear didn’t win”: Dutch relief as voters reject Wilders – A morning-after analysis of the result of the Dutch national election 2017 plus local reactions. (Middle East Eye)
Why some people are voting for the Dutch Donald Trump – A report from a market town in one of Geert Wilders’ strongholds near Rotterdam. (PRI)
Integration projects, Amsterdam-style – Creative new projects are encouraging local residents and recent arrivals to share their skills and free time. (Middle East Eye)
Integration in The Netherlands: what does it take to become a local? – First- and second-generation Dutch immigrants reflect on their journey from outsider to insider. (PRI)
Jordan
Coding classes open new doors for Syrian refugees – A report on the inaugural Refugee Code Week held in four countries hosting millions of Syrians. (Al Jazeera)
Dire conditions for Syrian refugees on Jordan’s border – Refugees in “the berm” area face new challenges amid advent of harsh winter weather. (Al Jazeera)
Lebanon
Illicit cannabis farming thrives in Lebanon – As the army focuses its efforts elsewhere, the hash industry is booming. Will one winery’s attempt to reverse the trend take hold? (BBC)
Uncovering Lebanon’s Jewish past – Amid controversy, efforts are under way to restore what few traces remain of Lebanon’s once-vibrant Jewish community. (Al Jazeera)
Mashrou’ Leila banned from Jordan for “devil worship” – In the wake of Amman’s controversial decision to band the popular band, questions arise over censorship in one of the Middle East’s most liberal countries. (Vice)
Civil groups seek change in local elections – With Lebanon’s municipal polls due next week, civil society groups promise to “shake up” the old system. (Al Jazeera)
The pros and cons of a ‘no camp’ policy – Could Lebanon’s decision to eschew formal camps for its 1.5 million Syrian refugees be the best option for all involved? (Al Jazeera)
Syria’s Palestinians, refugees again – Already living in exile, Palestinians from Syria face a double hardship when they get to Lebanon (The Daily Beast)
Dalieh: Tales from the sea – A long-form piece on the controversial expropriation of one of Beirut’s last remaining public stretches of coast. (Executive Magazine)
Tunisia
Leading the Arab world – A look at Tunisia’s crackdown on graft, and the country’s prospects in 2018. (Monocle)
Tunisian TV mogul fined over “blasphemous” film – Nabil Karoui’s controversial trial draws to a close. (Daily Telegraph)
Hague refuses to arm Syrian opposition – No agreement on military help for the rebels at the Friends of Syria conference in Tunis. (The Independent)