In Lebanon, HI meets the needs of people displaced by the conflict

“I live with my three children, aged between 12 and 23, and my mother, who has been displaced, along with my sister and brother.

For the time being, we are still staying in my place. We live in the southern parts of Beirut, just 15 minutes away from the capital. We can hear everything… It’s difficult to say whether any place is truly safe or not. So far, the bombings are still a bit far from our place, but I can hear them clearly.

To keep informed and mitigate the risks

Yesterday, we managed to get some sleep after two sleepless nights. Sometimes, when they target the surrounding areas, the sound is overwhelming. Whenever I hear the explosions, I check the news to locate the exact spots and ensure we are still safe. Even if we can hear the bombings, I take precautionary measures for my family. For example, I keep the windows open all day to prevent them from shattering due to pressure if the bombings are close. However, if the bombing is extremely intense, like one night in Beirut, where there was a heavy bombardment with a terrible smell, I taped the windows with scotch tape.

I’ve assessed our home, identifying safe corners in case the situation worsens. I try to factor in security in everything I do.

Last Friday, there was heavy bombing very close by. Even though it was nerve-wracking, I managed to stay focused and think clearly about what to do. This isn't the first time I’ve experienced such events, so it has become more manageable with time, allowing me to maintain a balance between emotions and logic.

We need to be there for the people

Finding a new place to stay is a significant challenge for many people at the moment in Lebanon. We are trying to remain safe and mitigate the risks, as there are no better options.

When it comes to my work, it depends on the security situation. I constantly assess the risks before deciding whether to work from home or go to the office. If I have meetings or other tasks, I often prefer staying home. However, when needed I prefer to go to the office considering the challenging internet connections.”

HI facing the current crisis

Since early October and in response to the escalation in the crisis, HI has adapted four ongoing programs to meet the urgent needs of people affected by the situation focusing on the locations of displaced people:

• Health: This includes psychological first aid and mental health support as well as rehabilitation sessions and assistive devices for displaced people, those injured, and older people or people with disabilities. We also provide recreational items for children. This program operates through partners in Beirut, and Saida, involving one hospital, one rehabilitation partner – which also has a mobile team considering people experiencing access difficulties - and a mental health partner who is providing mental health and psychological support through a hotline service.
• Inclusive Reproductive Health: This program focuses on providing reproductive health services for women and teenage girls with disabilities. It includes the distribution of dignity kits and assistive devices and the provision of rehabilitation care through two partners in the Beirut area. We focus on collective shelters where our partners have been displaced themselves.
• Mental Health: We provide group and individual therapy and mental health sessions in collective shelters to support displaced individuals in Beirut and Beqaa.
• Education: This involves recreational activities for children under 18, as well as the distribution of recreational items and hygiene kits. We also offer consultations for parents and caregivers and provide assistive devices and rehabilitation sessions for children with disabilities.
• Mine Action: Clearance operations have stopped, but we have adapted Risk Education by starting online risk education sessions and in-person sessions targeting people displaced in collective shelters that our team can access. HI conducted door-to-door Explosive Ordnance Risk Education sessions in Nabatieh and Sour Governorates. This effort was supported by a mass media campaign, including billboards along main roads and the distribution of Risk Education leaflets.

HI is currently working with a total of 5 partners in 5 collective shelters in Beirut, 4 in Beqaa, and 5 in North Lebanon. Since the beginning of the crisis HI has been able to support at least 8,000 people, and coordinates at least 150 stakeholder staff members and volunteers.

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Until September 2024, HI, in collaboration with partners in South Lebanon, has also supported partners to improve and enlarge their activities:

• HI prepositioned mobility aids and assistive devices (including wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, water mattresses, rehabilitation items, and wound kits) at 6 health facilities;
• In collaboration with the Lebanese Order of Physical Therapists (LOPT) and ICRC, HI provided training to staff from health facilities in Southern Lebanon and Beirut;
• HI supported two local organizations, Tamkeen in Nabatiyeh and the Palestinian Women Humanitarian Organization in Tyre, to deliver direct services to beneficiaries: rehabilitation, assistive devices, hygiene kits, recreational kits and activities for displaced persons;
• HI is working to strengthen the Lebanese Order of Physical Therapists (LOPT) role in emergency preparedness and response, enhancing the involvement of physical therapists in crisis settings;
• HI trained Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) volunteers from Tyre and Nabatieh Municipalities on Inclusive Humanitarian Action in Emergencies. HI provided psychological first aid training for frontline workers supporting IDPs in Tyre Municipalities;
• HI supported local partners in delivering group psychosocial support for displaced individuals.