The conflict in Syria began on 15th March 2011 and has since taken the lives of over 160,000 people with over 2.7 million Syrian refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries to escape the violence. Lebanon, despite its small size, is hosting over 1 million refugees from Syria, equal to more than 20% of Lebanon’s original population (UNHCR data portal 9th June 2014).
59% of families have one room as a shelter and 22% of large families (8+ members) are living in a single room. 82% are dependent on food aid and 73% do not have enough food for the whole family.
In response to this growing humanitarian crisis, Welfare Association has been implementing a number of emergency programmes in the Palestinian camps and gatherings throughout Lebanon to provide urgent assistance. In south Lebanon we have been able to provide clothing and food vouchers and improve living conditions through basic shelter repairs, in Tripoli, Saida and across the Beqaa Valley, we have been providing food packages and hygiene kits, and in the Beirut area in partnership with the European Commission's Department of Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) we are providing cash assistance to newly arrived refugee families and some very basic shelter repairs to improve hygiene, sanitation and safety standards. The cash assistance involves a careful verification and due diligence process and cheques are cashed at the bank directly on presentation of identification documents. The use of cash, as this is a protracted emergency, reduces administration costs and maximises funds to families – and most importantly enables the refugees themselves to prioritise and meet their most urgent family needs (whether rent, food, medication for a sick family member, clothing or household items.)
Food Parcels contained items such as:
Rice, Pasta, Chickpeas, Oil, Cheese, Canned meat, Beans, Lentils, Tea, Sugar and jam.
Family Hygiene Kits contained:
Toiletry items such as towels, shampoo, soap, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, sanitary pads and toilet rolls and cleaning items such as disinfectant, clothes washing powder, dish washing liquid and refuse bags.
Children's Kits contained:
Blankets, socks, set of writing/colouring pens/pencils & paper/book, Children's story book and an Educational game for young children who are not in kindergarten classes and living in poor conditions with no toys or books etc.
The final round of distributions will took place one week before the start of Ramadan around and provided the 800 families with a second food package.
Please help us support vulnerable refugees in Lebanon
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