Hope, Pride and the Lebanon Elections
Nov 16, 2021
Things are really bad in Lebanon on every front. Everybody complains about governance issues. One way to bring about change is through the elections that are coming up. The legislative elections are scheduled for March 27, 2022, but diaspora voter registration closes in just a few days. There’s a great website called Sawti Voice that…
Read MoreAddressing Unemployment & Food Security in Ein El Hilweh Palestinian Refugee Camp
Nov 10, 2021
With the support of UNICEF, our vocational education cash-for-work cooking courses are addressing urgent community needs in Lebanon like unemployment and food security. Courses are taught at the Women’s Programs Association, our local partner in Ein El Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp. Students learn everything from food preparation, food preservation and small business entrepreneurship. And to…
Read MoreFalling Through the Social Safety Net in Lebanon
Nov 10, 2021
Government social safety net programs provide healthcare, health insurance, retirement funds, disability payments, education, and other welfare services to people. The social safety net system has always been weak in Lebanon, but due to the economic and financial crisis it barely functions, and many forms of support are nonexistent. Even before gaining independence from France…
Read MoreInstallation of Reverse Osmosis Units at Healthcare Facilities in the Gaza Strip
Nov 6, 2021
With funding from Humanity First UK, Anera has installed reverse osmosis water purifying systems at two health clinics in Gaza. Now Al-Huda Health Center and the Patient’s Friends Benevolent Society have clean tap water available for the over 11,000 patients they serve each month.
Read MoreComing Together to Make a Difference
Oct 25, 2021
This post is featured in our fall 2021 newsletter. The last year-plus brought coronavirus to the world; economic collapse in Lebanon and a massive explosion that rocked Beirut; more encroachment of settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem; and another bombardment of Gaza, as well as the continued blockade. But the Anera community met…
Read MoreA Primer on Water in Gaza
Oct 21, 2021
Our Anera materials have often quoted the statistics that say somewhere between 90% to 97% of Gaza’s water is undrinkable. The numbers come from a multitude of trusted sources, including our own teams of engineers on the ground. Perhaps you have wondered how Anera is making a difference in Gaza then, given that the numbers…
Read MoreA Legacy of Supporting Education for the Marginalized
Oct 18, 2021
I have spent most of my adult life in Minnesota and Alaska teaching English as a second language (ESL). As an ESL teacher, I was always curious about the places my students were from, and had a strong desire to explore them on my own. My first teaching experience abroad was at the University of…
Read MoreA Scary Time in Lebanon
Oct 15, 2021
Yesterday was a scary day in Beirut. Protests and gunfire went on for many hours. Many of the bullets were flying very near Anera’s office. Six people died and more than 30 were injured. Thankfully, our staff was able to evacuate the office and get home safely. I am really concerned about the safety of…
Read MoreA Timeline of Crises in Lebanon
Oct 15, 2021
Lebanon is in survival mode. Yesterday hours of protests and gunfire killed six people and injured more than 30. The economy has collapsed, there is no functioning government, families have only a few hours of electricity a day and the healthcare system is struggling to stay afloat. We’ve created a timeline to show you how…
Read MoreInternational Day of the Girl
Oct 11, 2021
Every year, October 11 marks International Day of the Girl, a day to recognize and support the rights of girls around the world. This year’s theme is “My voice, our equal future.” One of the key points of this year’s theme is empowering girls to learn new skills towards the futures they choose. Anera recognizes…
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