COMMUNITY
Aid Helps Syrian Refugees Protect Themselves
Relief and hygiene aid comes at a time of crisis in Lebanon
With the worsening economic crisis and intolerable public health situation in Lebanon, the number of people relying on health and hygiene relief packages to get by has ballooned. Anera works with local and international organizations to provide aid to vulnerable persons and communities.
Maha Ibrahim is a Syrian refugee in Lebanon. She tells us,
“We fled the Syrian war only to suffer another crisis in Lebanon with the COVID pandemic. And we have to deal with the rising price of the dollar which is making everything more expensive while the economy gets worse.”
Halima Abd al-Karim Ghanem is another Syrian refugee. At 22, she is already a widow. “We came to Lebanon because of the Syrian war,” she says, “hoping to live in peace. But instead we face extreme poverty because of the economic crisis.”
“Children are now suffering from malnutrition because of how expensive food has become.”
With the help of a generous donation of hygiene kits by Heart to Heart International, Anera recently distributed the hygiene aid to families in need through our local partners. Heart to Heart is a global humanitarian organization focused on facilitating access to healthcare worldwide.
One of our local partners is Generous Hands, a charity helping people from different religions and nationalities, such as widows, orphans and refugees.
Halima thanks Heart to Heart International and Anera for the “personal hygiene kits [that] have helped us battle the pandemic. We truly thank them for their continued support.”
She says everyone must do their part to help combat the spread of the pandemic:
“Many people are suffering from COVID, and so I hope the community commits to preventive measures imposed by the government.”
The aid shipment was at port in early August when the explosion rocked the capital. Although the shipment was sent before the explosion, items in it became all the more vital in the wake of the catastrophe. These kits were salvaged from the blast and inspected and tested for safety. We distributed some of the items to meet immediate needs in the aftermath of the blast to partners like Karantina Hospital, which was severely impacted. We also distributed through Dar Al Amal to reach vulnerable people forced to relocate from their homes damaged by the explosion.
Anera’s other local partners also benefited from the donation of hygiene kits, such as Dar Al Amal Association and Karantina Hospital. By distributing the shipment between a number of local organizations we help ensure that the relief items reach a diverse and geographically broad population, making the impact inclusive of the entire community.
Anera distributed the hygiene kits in three major cities: Akkar, Tripoli and Beirut. The kits include toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, soap bars, towels, washcloths and nail clippers. The kits also include leaflets with general information on water, sanitation and hygiene-related public health advice.
Like Halima, Maha urges people to take COVID-19 seriously.
“I pray for the recovery of all COVID patients and mercy for the dead, and hope everyone takes necessary preventive measures to face the pandemic.”
The shipment contains 4,950 hygiene kits and 34 cases of adult and children’s clothes. Over 1,000 Lebanese and Syrian families have benefited from this donation, including 550 families affected by the blast and 400 underprivileged women.
