With millions of people across Lebanon in need of humanitarian and/or financial assistance, many families are struggling to survive. Vast numbers of asylum seekers and refugees have sought protection in Lebanon including almost one million Syrians and approximately 470,000 Palestinians. What’s more, with 1.5 million Lebanese people in need of financial assistance, resources are unable to meet all the required needs.
For people across Lebanon, life is incredibly challenging:
- 13% of the Lebanese population are out of work (UNDP, 2017)
- Around 55% of the population are in need of humanitarian assistance (UN OCHA, 2016)
- 900,000 Syrians are registered as refugees in Lebanon (UNHCR, 2019)
- Around 450,000 Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon (UNRWA, 2018)
Islamic Relief in Lebanon
Islamic Relief began working in Lebanon in response to a humanitarian crisis caused by war in July 2006. Islamic Relief responded to the crisis with distributions of food, clean water, hygiene kits, sleeping mats and hot meals to thousands of displaced people across the country. Islamic Relief was the first international aid agency to reach the people of Qana in southern Lebanon as only two other international relief agencies were active in the surrounding areas at the time.
Once the fighting ceased, Islamic Relief began focusing on rebuilding the war-torn country, such as hospital rehabilitation and water facility repairs.
Islamic Relief is still actively working in remote rural areas of Lebanon along the southern border, where conditions have not improved as quickly as in other parts of the country, primarily improving the water facilities.
However, since the advent of the war in Syria, 1.5 million people have fled to Lebanon in search of safety and security. The new influx of refugees has stretched the resources of the country further and we are working in the refugee camps of Lebanon to provide emergency food, water, shelter and essential family supplies.
