Forgotten Crises #IntoFocus
Lebanon is one of three countries that are part of the #IntoFocus Campagne, which sheds light on forgotten crises.
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Malteser International in Lebanon
The people in Lebanon are currently struggling with the most devastating and complex crisis in their country's modern history. In addition to the ongoing refugee crisis and the country's political instability, the people are suffering from the financial crisis that has been ongoing since 2019. The consequences of this multifaceted crisis are severe. The ongoing economic depression, high unemployment and rising food prices mean that around 80 percent of Lebanon's population lives below the poverty line.
The situation is particularly severe for the approximately 1.5 million Syrian refugees who have fled to Lebanon, of which 90% of all households are affected by extreme poverty. Moreover, basic food items are not available to everyone. For example, four out of ten children in the country are acutely food insecure, and the trend is rising. Access to health care or medicines is poor due to an already overburdened health system. Many health facilities are experiencing dwindling medical supplies and medical care is often denied to poor households due to the cost contributions involved.
Together with our Lebanese partner, the Order of Malta Lebanon, we have been working in Lebanon for Syrian refugees and Lebanese since the beginning of the war in Syria in 2012 and provide urgently needed support.
Your support is needed - help us help the people in Lebanon. Donate now!
This is how we provide longterm support in Lebanon
Malteser International's long-term goal is to strengthen the resilience of the population and to improve the general health status of the people. To achieve this goal, our activities include improving primary health care and food security, as well as creating a cooperative medical network to build local expertise for the benefit of all people living in Lebanon.
Health care throughout the country
Since 2014, we have been operating several mobile medical units for Syrian refugees as well as for vulnerable Lebanese in poorer regions of the country in cooperation with the Order of Malta Lebanon.
Since 2021, we have been supporting the renovation, medical equipment and operation of 11 primary health care centres across the country through the provision of primary health care services, referrals to secondary/tertiary health facility service providers, dispensing of medicines, home visits and the implementation of awareness and prevention campaigns.
In addition, we support the capacities and structures of our local partner in the health sector to sustainably strengthen the national health system. Relief supplies are also distributed to Syrian refugees and Lebanese in need to ensure their basic needs are met.
An overview of our activities in Lebanon (map).
Promotion of local agriculture
In order to improve the food situation in the country, we support agricultural actors to be able to increase their production and thus access to local food even during the crisis. A total of seven so-called Service Provision Units (SPUs) are being set up as part of our project.
These consist of a greenhouse, training and office buildings, as well as a water treatment plant and solar panels, which ensure the completely self-sufficient operation of these SPUs.
The greenhouses enable local farmers to cultivate and grow local agricultural crops. In addition, the participating farmers can use the consultations of technical advisors for their cultivation. Furthermore, value chain assessments are used to explore the potential the regional market offers for the cultivation/production of locally manufactured products such as olive oil, oregano or honey.
In so-called "nutrition groups", community members in the catchment area of the SPUs can actively engage in the further development of improving the food situation in their region. Another focus is the offer of various further education measures through which mothers and children in particular are strengthened in their nutritional awareness. Through the operation of two “Mobile Community Kitchens", warm meals are distributed to people who are currently particularly affected by the crisis.
News and updates from Lebanon
On the road with the Mobile Medical Unit in Lebanon
For many people in Lebanon, mobile clinics are the only access to medical care.
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26.05.2021
Help for Hussein
Without Malteser International's mobile clinics, many people like Hussein and his family would not have access to medical care.
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As a sponsoring partner, your regular donation gives real, life-changing help to people in need in our project regions. Your commitment helps us plan ahead and bring about long-lasting impact.
- We put your generous donation to use, bringing help to those who need it most.
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Projects completed:
Project information
Partner: Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (LAKM)
Photo credit donation samples: Andrea Krogmann/Malteser International
