Delivering Direct Support under COVID-19 Restrictions in Lebanon

Lebanon has seen the number of recorded cases of COVID-19 actually fall in recent weeks - and with it a slight easing of lockdown restrictions. Yet living conditions for children and families from both local and refugee communities remain fraught - not least as continuing financial instability has led to a fresh surge of social unrest.

War Child has adapted its programme in Lebanon to uphold the wellbeing of children and caregivers amid the changing circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. These efforts see us deliver both education and reliable public health and prevention information to help shield children from the spread of coronavirus through remote methods - including WhatsApp messages and online videos.

Yet our efforts to uphold the psychosocial wellbeing of children and youth and continue with vital child protection activities are only effective once we meet urgent basic needs. Children must have adequate nutrition and health support before they can begin to work on their social and emotional development.

Deliveries to the most vulnerable

This is why War Child has drawn on its emergency Start-Up Fund and distributed food packages to an initial 380 vulnerable families in Lebanon. The families are primarily from Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese communities living in refugee camps in the north of Lebanon. The packages contained foodstuffs including rice, beans, oil and tinned fish.

War Child field staff in Lebanon worked with 30 youth volunteers from two Palestinian refugee camps to distribute the kits over the weekend. The volunteers gained valuable skills in undertaking this emergency response and received small stipends for their efforts.

“These families have been hit the hardest, so it was heart-warming to be able to help them in such difficult times,” said one youth volunteer involved in the distribution.

War Child’s COVID-19 Response Programme in Lebanon has so far seen us reach over 2,300 children - and a further 2,800 parents and caregivers - with key messages to uphold safety and wellbeing since mid-March.

Support our work in Lebanon - and donate to our emergency Start-Up Fund now.