Jal el Baher Fishing Community

Supporting marginalised Palestinian families and children of Jal El Baher Gathering, south Lebanon

Jal el Baher Gathering is located on a sandy beach between the Mediterranean Sea and the main highway through the city of Tyre, in south Lebanon. It is home to 250 families, many have lived here for over 60 years in deep poverty. They live in fragile homes protected from the elements with corrugated metal roofing sheets. Each day the sea brings debris up the beach and in bad weather the water enters their homes. At the end of 2010 severe winter storms rendered a third of the homes completely uninhabitable and badly damaged the rest.

Jal_el_Baher_Fisherman416.jpgJal el Baher fisherman with his new silk sardine net
In addition, the fishermen’s boats were damaged and lost at sea and many suffered heavy damage to their equipment. This meant their ability to fish was dramatically reduced and fishing is their main source of income. In 2010 Welfare Association offered the only emergency support this community received, in the form of food packages and blanket packs.

After launching a fundraising appeal for Jal El Baher, Welfare Association was able to start a project to support the fishermen of this community. This project is providing up to 40 fishermen with loans to fix badly damaged boats and replace nets, reels, and other equipment that was lost or damaged. (At the request of the fishermen 30% of each loan will be paid back into a revolving fund, so that the community will have some security for the future). With restored boats and equipment replaced, the fishermen can then restore their income by fishing as far out to sea as they did previously.

Emergency_food_packs_and_blankets_for_Jal_El_Baher_Gathering_Lebanon-600.jpgEmergency food packs and blankets for Jal El Baher Gathering
Children_receiving_winter_clothes_in_Jal_el_Baher_Gathering220Children choosing winter clothes in Jal el Baher Gathering
This project is also supporting this very poor community by providing the young primary school children there with warm winter coats and winter shoes, to replace badly worn items and allow them to be properly prepared for the harsh winter weather. (There are refugees who fled the crisis in Syria, seeking refuge in Lebanon who are now living in Jal El Baher – we were able to include their young children in this winter clothing activity.) The children and their parents were able to take vouchers to pre-agreed suppliers and choose winter clothes and winter shoes with their children.

See Also

Chris Elias In Memoriam Fund

Supporting the fishermen of Jal el Baher Gathering, south Lebanon to rebuild their livelihoods

Read more > Chris Elias In Memoriam Fund

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