Medical care for vulnerable populations in Lebanon

Dear friends,

In a few weeks we will celebrate the first birthday of our project.

We have made a lot of progress during the past year and it’s time to evaluate our actions.

After carrying out a needs assessment in various refugee camps and realizing the extent of unmet need, we sent the Mobile Unit for the first time in the Beqaa valley.

At the beginning, we only focused on the psychosocial support with a team of psychologist, animator and social worker. The aim was to prepare the ground for the medical support and to gain the inhabitant trust.

A few months later, we were able to start the medical consultation, distribute some medicine, treat and prevent the spreading of some diseases, organize awareness sessions on health related topics, inform the families on their rights and procedures to be supported by the UNHCR…

Despite our forecast, the medical support wasn’t the most expected help among the refugees. Indeed, the psychosocial support was more popular within the families and children. Because most of them had to flee their country origin in haste, they experienced a lot of trauma and important distress.

To fill this demand and needs, we developed our psychosocial activities more than initially foreseen, especially those including children. The first results promptly appeared with an impact on the children’s behaviors; calmer, safer and more able to trust their relatives and others.

We adapted our approach and activities according to their needs and the different realities and challenges faced in each refugee camp, especially the forced relocation. 

We managed to create different sub-projects accordingly to the possibilities in the different camps. The last one aimed to train a group of 15 unmarried female teenagers about women empowerment and child protection. We already have some ideas for the next one: the writing and representation of a play!

During the past 6 months, Insan has been able to:

-       To entertain through psychosocial activities more than 300 children in 4 different refugee camps

-       Bring a medical support through consultation to 100 adults and 100 children.

-       Raise awareness through various health related session in 4 refugee camps

This project is very challenging for us. It was our first step in the Beqaa valley and the first time we included the physical health component in our project.

After a year, we’re glad and proud of our impact on our beneficiaries’ life, but we fully acknowledge that none of this would have been possible without your help, care and support.

On behalf of the whole Insan team, we wish to thank you wholeheartedly and hope to find you by our sides for the beginning of this promising second year.

Warm regards,

Insan Team