Getting Out of the Cycle of Poverty in Tripoli, Lebanon

Cash assistance has given poor and working families in Tripoli, Lebanon a chance to pull themselves out of a cycle of poverty and debt. See how it’s making a difference.

In response to the economic hardships created by the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon, Anera and UMCOR – United Methodist Committee On Relief have provided 250 vulnerable households (some 1,250 individuals) in Tripoli with nine monthly unconditional cash transfers ($174 USD) to address their basic human needs. The 250 households are divided equitably between those of Syrian and Lebanese origin.

Anera’s cash program is unique in that it provides assistance to vulnerable Lebanese host communities, to avoid exacerbating tensions between the two groups. Many of the communities in Lebanon where Syrian refugees have encamped are among the poorest and least prepared for the influx of new residents. Many Lebanese residents and refugees cannot afford to pay for utilities like running water and heat. Tensions are very high between the host community and refugees, and there is a desperate need for social cohesion efforts.