Provide meals for Syrian and Lebanese refugees

Dear Donors,

Lebanon risks remaining without bread! The conflict in Ukraine is worsening an already dramatic situation. The country imports more than 60% of wheat from this territory at war and it is facing also an inflation equal to 220% that hits in particular food products. This transformed bread from a primary good to a luxury product that few people can afford just in the black market. Lebanon is facing also a crisis of drinking water: as a result, Cholera is spreading in the country. Moreover, smugglers feed human traffic leading people to Europe.

In the last two years people in relative poverty have risen from 40 to 80%, the national currency has lost 95% of its purchasing power, half of the working force earn just 36-90 dollars per month and fuel costs sixteen times more than two years ago. The price of a basic food basket (food necessary for a month per family) is increasing by more than 1.700% since October 2019. People consume always less milk products, meat, fruit and vegetables. Households are reducing their expenses for health assistance and education.

Our local representative “Oui pour la Vie » in Damour is going on more and more intensely with the activity of food distribution supporting the poorest families of the village. Moreover, the association is providing a day hospital service for people with alcohol and drugs dependence, as well as AIDS tests and a counseling center for people in need. Since September 2022 Syrian and Iraqi children of the school of Damour are raising funds in order to buy goods for the poorest children that live in the slums built in the countryside and along the sea that live with their parents in tents. Winter is the hardest season to bare because storms destroy their shelters and they live without heating. The most touching fact is that already poor children are donating part of their savings in favor of poorer children without distinction of religion and origin.

Thanks to your help we can continue to support the most fragile families of Damour. Your presence is really fundamental!

Thank you!

Dear Donor,

The compound crisis in Lebanon is ongoing rather worsening at a very quick rate weighing very heavy on most of the population, especially on the poor and the middle class. Prices of basic commodities have increased by around 15 folds while salaries remain unchanged. The basic salary is today equal to around 20$. Meanwhile, in May the black market value of the Lebanese pound fell to an all-time low of 35,600 against the US dollar (a drop from 26,800 in the space of just two weeks), a sign that Lebanon’s economic crisis is set to continue to cripple the country.

The need for the kitchen and the demand for food are permanently increasing. To accommodate one family whose situation was really dire, our local partner had to take a bit out of all meals to add the family, in view of the catastrophic situation.

The kitchen is now serving cooked meals to 83 families Lebanese and refugees from Iraq and Syria, a total of 296 people. Two times per week cooked meals are distributed and two times per month raw substance, once chicken and once meat, are also distributed. On Wednesday bread and juice are distributed to 10 families, a total of 65 people. With your help we can support our local partner and always more refugees and people in need in Damour.

Thank you!