Weatherproofing Tented Homes

“The children woke up crying from the cold, and we had to stand in the corner, trying to stay out of the water” says Aya.

I’m sitting in our field office, reviewing the list of informal settlements our team will visit today. The past week has been chaotic with the announcement of the storm—high winds and heavy rainfall have taken a toll on the tented homes scattered across the Bekaa Valley. Families have sent urgent requests for assistance. Their few belongings and sleeping spaces were drenched as water pooled in the low-lying areas, making way into the fragile tented homes—soaking blankets and cushions—while others struggled with leaks from above. Our team is in the emergency response phase, assessing conditions based on UNHCR sector guidelines to determine which families qualify for a tent weatherproofing kit.

Today, we headed to an informal settlement about twenty minutes outside Zahlé to distribute kits and follow up on new referrals. Before arriving at the site, we stop at the UNHCR warehouse that Medair operates to collect supplies. Inside, stacks of mattresses, tarpaulins, fire extinguishers, plywood, blankets, stoves, and fuel are neatly arranged—lifelines for refugees working to repair and reinforce their shelters against harsh weather conditions.

After departing the warehouse, our car leads the way, followed by the distribution truck, as we head to the informal settlements where tented homes have been impacted by the harsh weather conditions.  

Throughout the distribution at an informal settlement, I met with Aya, a Syrian refugee whose tented home was affected by the heavy rainfall. After briefly getting to know Aya, she informed me that her home flooded with water, soaking the floor, drenching mattresses, and leaving her family with nowhere dry to sleep.  

“The rain started late at night, and within hours, water was seeping through the tent from all sides. We tried to lift the blankets and cushions off the ground, but it was no use—everything was soaked. The children woke up crying from the cold, and we had to stand in the corner, trying to stay out of the water. We tried to push the water out with buckets, but it kept coming in through the ripped and damaged plastic sheets,” she said, gesturing to the damp blankets laid outside in a desperate attempt to dry them.

Many, like Aya, struggle throughout the winter to protect their tented homes from harsh weather and keep their families safe. Funded by UNHCR, and implemented by Medair, the emergency distribution intervention provided weatherproofing kits, including repair kits, plywood and plastic sheets to help families safeguard their tented homes against harsh weather conditions, ensuring their safety.  

Medair's work in Lebanon is possible with funding from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Swiss Development Cooperation through Interaction-CH,) Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF) and generous private donors.

This content was produced with resources gathered by Medair field and headquarters staff. The views expressed herein are those solely of Medair and should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of any other organization.

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