Lebanon: emergency response

Lebanon is struggling to accommodate the growing number of displaced people. Many people from Lebanon including Lebanese, refugees and others have fled to Syria in search of safety. The outflow continues.

Anna Chilvers, Medair’s Country Director in Lebanon says

“The situation has been slowly escalating over the past year; but the extent of the airstrikes yesterday shows that the conflict has entered a new phase. Our focus is now on emergency response, and providing immediate, life-saving assistance.”

Latest update from our team in Lebanon: 02/10/24

‍Emergency Response

Medair was mobilized directly after the intensification of the airstrikes Monday (23rd).

Medair’s Trucks of aid assistance carrying essential items like mattresses and blankets are being dispatched from the warehouse, daily (Medair manages 8,000M2 UNHCR warehouse). 202 trucks were dispatched in 4 days (25th – 28th); facilitating 30,071 people to receive mattresses & blankets.

The most urgent needs of the displaced communities include access to shelter, clean water, healthcare, psychological first aid, and protection.  

Medair has distributed 5796 mattresses and 5733 blankets to internally displaced people affected by the conflict across 66 different distributions, mostly collective shelters (numbers since 29.09.24).

Our team continue to coordinate with the wider humanitarian community, ministries, municipalities, with local leaders, and focal points within areas of intervention.

Medair’s staff members and volunteers from various Medair functions are conducting assessments in public schools turned Collective Shelters to update data, evaluate the condition of the buildings, and determine the needs of the displaced community members.  

‍Medair in Lebanon

Medair has been in Lebanon for over 10 years.  

Our team is accustomed to responding to crises – in the past few years we have responded to the Syrian refugee crisis, the economic collapse, COVID-19, the Beirut explosion, the cholera outbreak – and now the conflict in Lebanon.

Health: Since 2014, Medair has improved the access of vulnerable communities to quality primary healthcare services in Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel.

Shelter: Medair provides shelter in crisis-affected communities to ensure safe, dignified living spaces in Bekaa, Baalbek-Hermel, Beirut, and Mount Lebanon.

Basic Assistance: Medair We improve access to basic goods and services through large-scale cash assistance programs. Medair manages UNHCR warehouse, 8000M2 dispatching core relief items like mattresses, blankets etc.  

Mental health: Medair runs a community-based mental health support program with awareness and peer support groups for adults and adolescents. Medair is currently training volunteers on Psychological First Aid, to respond to the needs of the internally displaced population.  

GIS (Geographic Information System): Medair maps and identifies informal settlements in Lebanon, and coordinates with the wider humanitarian community for timely response.  

Medair's work in Lebanon is possible with funding from the UNHCR, Chaîne du Bonheur, Swiss Development Cooperation through Interaction-CH, German Federal Foreign Office (or AA) and generous private donors.

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