Skip to content
Anera
  • Who We Are
    • Column1
      • About Us
      • Our Staff
      • Anera FAQ
    • Column2
      • Resources
      • 2024 Annual Report
      • Contact Us
  • Where We Work
    • Column1
      • Palestine
        • Gaza
        • West Bank
      • Lebanon
      • Jordan
  • What We Do
    • Column1
      • Agriculture
      • Health
      • Community
      • Education
    • Column2
      • Water
      • Emergency
      • Stories
      • Videos
  • How to Help
    • Column1
      • Fundraise
      • Become a Social Media Ambassador
      • Attend an Event
      • Donor Portal
    • Column2
      • Give Monthly
      • More Ways to Give
      • Zakat Giving
      • Anera Leadership Circle
  • Blog
  • Donate
    • Monthly Giving
    • Zakat Giving
    • More Ways to Give
Anera
Donor Portal
  • Who We Are
    • Column1
      • About Us
      • Our Staff
      • Anera FAQ
    • Column2
      • Resources
      • 2024 Annual Report
      • Contact Us
  • Where We Work
    • Column1
      • Palestine
        • Gaza
        • West Bank
      • Lebanon
      • Jordan
  • What We Do
    • Column1
      • Agriculture
      • Health
      • Community
      • Education
    • Column2
      • Water
      • Emergency
      • Stories
      • Videos
  • How to Help
    • Column1
      • Fundraise
      • Become a Social Media Ambassador
      • Attend an Event
      • Donor Portal
    • Column2
      • Give Monthly
      • More Ways to Give
      • Zakat Giving
      • Anera Leadership Circle
  • Blog
  • Donate
    • Monthly Giving
    • Zakat Giving
    • More Ways to Give
  • Who We Are
  • What We Do
  • Where We Work
  • How to Help
  • Resources
  • Success Stories
  • Videos
  • Blog
  • 2024 Annual Report
Donate
EMERGENCY

Spreading Joy to Lebanon's Vulnerable During Ramadan

May, 2018

This Ramadan, Anera is distributing boxes with nutritious food items such as rice, canned tuna, and oil to vulnerable families in Lebanon's camps.

As we make our way through a maze of narrow streets, dodging electrical wires and laundry lines while walking over crushed soda cans and cigarette butts, we can’t help but see the poverty and neglect around us; taking in scene after scene of something reminiscent in a war movie.

Shatila camp; home to 27,000 Palestinian & Syrian Refugees.
Shatila camp; home to 27,000 Palestinian & Syrian Refugees.

This is the Shatila camp; one of 12 refugee camps established in Lebanon after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War to accommodate the thousands of Palestinians who had fled or were expelled during the 1948 exodus. There are approximately 450,000 registered refugees in Lebanon. Shatila camp alone is home to nearly 10,000 refugees, many of whom are Syrians who had recently escaped the war-torn country after the eruption of the war in 2011.

After walking a while through the camp, we finally reach a broken flight of stairs leading to a shabby little house. This is where Ahmad lives – a veteran resident of the camp and a father to 10 children; two of whom have disabilities. Ahmad was at a local Anera distribution center earlier in the day and had waited patiently for his turn to collect a Ramadan food package. Life for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is tough and these parcels provide relief, especially during the Ramadan season.

Shatila Resident Ahmad with his wife and 2 of his daughters.
Shatila Resident Ahmad with his wife and 2 of his daughters.

“My only son works as a van driver. He makes around 200 dollars a month, from which he gives me 50 or 60 dollars. That’s it. That’s all my family and I live on.” Ahmad says, as he wipes the sweat off his forehead.

Anera is working with the Palestinian Disability Forum to identify families who have one or more members with disabilities as recipients for food parcels. The parcels, which contain a generous supply of healthy items, are being distributed across camps in the Beirut area as well as north and south Lebanon. Anera distributed 200 parcels in Shatila.

A volunteer helps an elderly woman carry a food parcel.
A volunteer helps an elderly woman carry a food parcel.
Food parcels ready to be distributed to residents of the Shatila Camp.
Food parcels ready to be distributed to residents of the Shatila Camp.

When we arrived, a large crowd had already started queuing outside the Ahlam Lajei Center − a local association which facilitated the distribution of the food packages. Women, children and men, who had been waiting anxiously for their turn, left smiling looking joyous and relieved. These food packages go a long way in providing families living in dire conditions with something to smile about and act as tokens of kindness. A reminder that there are still people outside the confines of the camp who working hard to try and ease some of their suffering.

A young man makes his way back home to his family after receiving the Ramadan parcel.
A young man makes his way back home to his family after receiving the Ramadan parcel.
A woman leaves the distribution center holding a food parcel.
A woman leaves the distribution center holding a food parcel.

“We’re very happy and thankful to receive these packages and hope next year you can do this again and maybe more!” - Ahmad, father and recipient of an Anera food package

SHARE THIS STORY

Related Stories

Mount Lebanon highlighted on a map of Lebanon, saying Anera in Mount Lebanon

Anera in Mount Lebanon, Lebanon

Read More →

Voices of Displacement in Lebanon

Read More →

$219 M

worth of aid to serve millions of Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians and Jordanians, in calendar year 2024

Contact Us

WHO WE ARE

Site Map

  • Who We Are
  • Where We Work
  • What We Do
  • How to Help
  • Donor Portal
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Stories
  • Join Our Team
  • Contact Us

More About Anera

Anera addresses the development and relief needs of refugees and vulnerable communities in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan. 

Anera is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (tax-ID number 52-0882226). Your gift is secure and tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Follow Us on Social Media

© Anera, 2025 | Print This Page | Site Credit
  • FAQ
  • TRUSTED & RESPECTED
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SITE MAP
 Share This
 Facebook
 WhatsApp
 LinkedIn
 Email

Share on Mastodon