Between the 18th and 21st October, a Caritas Lebanon program run in partnership with the World Food Programme saw 134,571 hot meals distributed. On the 18th 1,000 dignity kits were also given to those in need, along with 1,327 mattresses, 1,328 pillows, 1,328 blankets, 776 hygiene kits and 756 baby kits.
This is just a snapshot of the work being done by Caritas partners on the ground who have supported over a hundred thousand internally displaced and affected persons since September 24th, delivering over one million critical services. These services include daily hot meals, ready-to-eat food packages, hygiene kits, baby and elderly care kits, protection services, and comprehensive healthcare including psychosocial support to help individuals cope with trauma.
Caritas Australia has been supporting Caritas Lebanon since the launch of its Lebanon Crisis Appeal, which initially focussed on supporting those impacted by the economic crisis in the country. Amid the new wave of displacement Caritas Lebanon has now mobilised to provide wide reaching emergency assistance for those in need.
Caritas Lebanon was established in 1972 when it helped the Lebanese population navigate the complexities of the civil war, giving the organisation decades of humanitarian response experience in the region. Over the course of 2023 Caritas Lebanon managed a portfolio of over 50 active projects driven by a dedicated team of over 750 local and international staff members and the commitment of 1,625 dynamic youth volunteers.
Geographically, Caritas Lebanon strategically dots the landscape with 37 social centers, 4 special educational centers in the Beirut / Mount Lebanon and Bekaa governorates, as well as 12 community centers for refugees nationwide, 3 safe shelters for migrants, 5 social enterprises, 11 Primary Healthcare Centers, and 8 Mobile Medical Units. It is now drawing on all these resources to help hundreds of thousands of displaced people.
Sally Thomas, Humanitarian Emergencies Lead at Caritas Australia said, “Behind the politics of this dire and rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East are real people, families and communities fleeing their homes with nothing. Many of these people were already weathering one of the worst economic crises in the world in the past 150 years, and now face winter with no home and no income.”
“Caritas Lebanon’s vast network is a lifeline for our brothers and sisters facing severe challenges, as is the continued compassion and generosity of the community here in Australia.”
