Lebanon: emergency response, and providing immediate, life-saving assistance

Terrified families fled their homes in the South and other affected areas, forming long queues of cars for hours, as they sought safety across the country. Many of those fleeing included women, children, and refugees who have lived in fear for months now in anticipation of a wider conflict, which has now become a horrifying reality. Families are already vulnerable and affected by the multiple ongoing crises within Lebanon.

This escalation not only increases humanitarian needs and reduces access to essential services but disrupts the delivery of aid to those affected by the ongoing conflict. Urgent needs include securing shelter, healthcare, and safety for these vulnerable groups.

Anna Chilvers, Medair’s Country Director in Lebanon says

“The situation has been slowly escalating over the past year; but the extent of the airstrikes yesterday shows that the conflict has entered a new phase. Our focus is now on emergency response, and providing immediate, life-saving assistance.”

"Last night, during a lull in the attacks, our team responded in providing shelter in pre-prepared transitory shelter units to families fleeing their homes. Today, we have team members conducting emergency assessments of collective sites, and providing key items such as mattresses and blankets to households."

‍Emergency Response

• In partnership with UNHCR Medair is supporting displaced families and has launched an emergency response to meet the anticipated needs arising from future displacement. 
• Medair is assessing 9 schools functioning as Collective Sites for displaced families, and has so far distributed core relief items such as mattresses and blankets to 200 people, with field teams currently active. Further families have received shelter through pre-prepared transit shelter units.
• Medair is conducting a cash programme in Beirut to 570 households displaced due to the conflict.
• Medair actively supports two health centres in the affected communities, enabling displaced families to access primary healthcare. We want ensure access to health care (including midwifery services for pregnant women, and services for people with Non-Communicable Diseases such as diabetes and hypertension) and emergency psychosocial support.

‍Medair in Lebanon

Medair has been in Lebanon for over 10 years providing needs-based humanitarian aid to Lebanese, Syrians and other affected communities. Medair is already on the ground and responding to the urgent needs of the affected communities in the Bekaa Valley and Beirut, and is looking to scale its response, to reach more affected families.  

The situation is also deeply affecting our staff members and their families, many of whom live within Bekaa Valley. There is a heavy emotional burden of witnessing the suffering of their children and colleagues, along with the immense destruction of their communities.

The country finds itself ill-equipped to accommodate the growing number of displaced people as it grapples with the ongoing socio-economic crisis, and already hosts 1.5 million Syrian refugees. 

An estimated 80% of Lebanese people live in poverty, with 36% below the extreme poverty line. 

90% of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon are unable to cover their basic needs. 

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