Food Security Lebanon Project #44269

Refugee Families affected by economic crisis

by Developmental Action without Borders/Naba'a

Project Report | Feb 19, 2024
Economic burden on the refugees is increased

By Hiba Hamzi | Program Coordinator

Recreational Activities

Background during and after the implementation of the project;

Walking into a refugee camp is like walking into a desperately overcrowded slum. The camps are only one kilometer long and accommodate between 25,000 and 37,000 people. Refugees struggle for even the most basic of needs. For electricity, families must string live wires to dozens of other wires, above the tiny walkways around the settlements. Every few weeks, someone gets electrocuted. Many houses are about to collapse, and most people needing care are not able to access hospital treatment. Those most seriously ill die.

Conditions in the camps are extremely challenging, with no clean water and high rates of violence against women and children. Inhabitants of the camps are in constant danger from exposed live electrical wires, a daily threat as the government refuses to supply electricity to the camps. Many refugees cannot get jobs. They are excluded from about 70 jobs including taxi drivers, according to Global Fund for Women grantee partners Tadamon and Palestinian Women’s Humanitarian Organization, leaving primarily menial labor like plumbing, cleaning, or construction available to them. L

Naba’a Achievements; During the last period, The most highlighted achievements during the last period;

- We at Naba’a are doing all we can to help all affected communities during this extraordinary crisis. Our assistance efforts go to all: Lebanese, refugees and others who were affected without distinction. The devastating impact of the explosion is compounding the challenges currently faced by Lebanese and refugees and adding even more difficulties as families were struggling to survive with the economic crisis that was exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19.

- Naba’a provided cash assistance for 283 family distributed as 225 in Borj Hammoud and 58 in khandaa along with distributing disinfection / hygiene kits for 1050 families in Beirut and south. Where 150 families in Ein EL Helwi, El Buss, Burj Al shamali and Rachidie camps received hygiene kits in addition to 900 families in Beirut. As for food kits, 225 families in Mie and Mie area and Saida al Balad have provided with Food kits as well as 75 families in Ein El Helwe. Whereas, 306 families in Beirut have received food kits and distributed as 306 families in Khandaa in 900 in Borj Hammoud.

1120 parents and caregivers motivated to be engaged in their children learning and well-being.
Around 2400 Youth and adolescents (70% females) involved in the life skills program including different topics such as (Communication skills, leader ship skills, how to protect themselves from abuse, reproductive health, peer to peer, human rights, child rights, women rights, etc…).
Nabaa’ provided inclusive education for 3210 boys and girls of school age (6-12 years) in the Palestinian camps and Syrian gatherings in Lebanon (Tripoli, Saida, Tyre, Nabatieh) “In line with UNRWA's educational reform and MEHE curriculum to support the education of refugees children from Syria, Palestinians or Syrians.
Children and women have been targeted in psychosocial activities as the following, 3051 children (males and females)and 550 parents most of them are women, including, vulnerable Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian refugees. Whereas, in Borj Al Shamali camp 555 children (males and females and 220 parents including (Lebanese, Syrian Refugees and Palestinian refugees).
It is worthy to note that, two child friendly psychosocial spaces were established at two UNRWA clinics (one in Ein El Helweh and one in Wadi El Zeni), where 2350 children whom their families access UNRWA clinics participated and joined the activities in these spaces.
Teachers started to adapt, cope and learn an applicable learning methodologies with regard to distance learning in order to refine a continuous level in serving students with stressing on ensuring that every student will get an opportunity to participate and express throughout the virtual classroom in addition to support parents in technological skills. Since greeting all students with their names played a vital role in enhancing students’ engagement and commitment as they stated to feel that they belong to the classroom no matter how and where the learning process takes place.
Using visual aids is essential in the distance learning process, where Several videos and tutorials have been created by the teachers for the purpose of assisting students in learning the basics along with math skills to be capable of being in the first grades. In addition to that, teachers have conducted educational activities for students to have the chance in applying what they have learned in order to be able to provide them with a meaningful feedback to be more engaged and empowered as well. As well as, they lay emphasis on choosing a theme that will keep all the students interested in predicting what they will be learning as well as allowing parents to be updated with every step and in what they expected from the lesson content. Sending worksheets and a digital form to collect students’ answers was part of the assessment and evaluation process. Noteworthy that, rewarding students was part of motivating them where teachers used to post students achievements on social media platforms.
152 Students have enrolled in Nabaa’ kindergarten in three community centers. To ensure the safety of children during Corona-virus pandemic, the learning process was shifted to distance learning as teachers paid a home visits to their students in order to provide them with kindergarten books and toolkit to continue their basic education with extra curricula. A numerous of recreational and psychosocial activities for parents and children have implemented remotely due to a certain circumstances of Corona-Virus where psychosocial videos have been created and sent. on the other hand, a parent committee that consist of 12 mothers per camp has been formed to facilitate the communication in order to integrate them in educational process as a whole. Add to this, Parents have been targeted in a 60 awareness raising sessions that reside on diverse topics as child right, healthy life style, breast cancer, violence, communication skills, how to deal with their children, COVID-19, how to avoid stress during corona pandemic, how to take preventive measure and boost our immunity system during corona, how to develop social and emotional skills, stress management and how to calm our child, social distancing, expressing our feelings in addition to handcrafts.
219 children aged 4-6 years who are Palestinian, Syrian and Palestinian refugees from Syria have enhanced their educational and social skills, along with 2809 female and 15 males of parents and caregivers have gained knowledge on different social, educational, emotional, and psychological skills. A change in attitude and behavior of parents has been noticed during the scholastic year, where they become more aware in how to deal with their children.

. Code: BO

2. Date of birth: 1997

3. Nationality: Syrian

4. Sex: Female

5. Referred by: social worker

6. Reason for referral: sadness, social isolation, pessimistic from life.

7. Risk level: Medium

2. Social Status:

single

married

divorced

widow

Girls

boys

Number of kids

Notes:

Education level:

illiterateoprimary middle secondary bachelor vocational

1. Economical situation:

1. Work: unemployed unstableostable

2. Type of work: didn’t work

3. Does the beneficiary receives financial aid: no

4. Family income: good medium poor bad

5. Dwelling: own rental host tent

6. Number of rooms: 3

7. does anyone else live in the house? The beneficiary was divorced from 4 years, she lives with her parents and siblings.

Additional notes about the living situation for the beneficiary:

The father works like daily worker (porter), the family (8members) live from what the father earn daily. The family receives aid from organizations but the aids are not enough and unstable.

Health/psychological situation:

Beneficiary

Family

Is there a handicap (harmful, dumb...)?

Are there physical diseases?

Are there drugs that the beneficiary takes on a regular basis?

Is there a previous psychological review?

yes

Is there a neurologist?

Is there any drug use?

Method of monitoring the situation:
The situation was monitored through a request by the mother to participate in awareness-raising sessions to help with social and psychological issues.

A summary of the background of the situation and the problem of the beneficiary:

After monitoring the situation through a follow-up request by the mother, the beneficiary started attending the awareness sessions while she refused to share her experience with the audience, but was asked to speak with the social worker, she was known to have married at the age of 18 by pressuring her family to accept the marriage contract.

After a period of marriage, the husband had to travel and keep her with his family, and several family problems emerged where she was subjected to verbal violence (insults, curses....) and physical violence (battering ...) by her husband's mother while pregnant, with the husband supporting his mother and blaming her. She was forced to abort her second child, and the intensification of the problems contributed to her divorce from her husband. She is deprived of seeing her child until now.

Psychosocial symptoms monitored:
- Community isolation (staying for days without communicating or meeting with a parent or friend)
- feelings of permanent sadness (most of the time)
- Constant crying
- loss of self-confidence and self-help
- sleep disturbance (sleepy)
- guilt

Data collection method:
Data on remote follow-up (telephone) and sessions with social workers were collected

The method of intervention and follow-up:
The intervention was carried out using the following points:
- Awareness-raising sessions (early marriage, gender-based violence, sex versus gender)
- Support and discharge sessions with social workers
- Referral to a psychologist for follow-up

Recommendations:
- Follow-up by the psychologist on a weekly basis through individual sessions
- Follow-up in individual meetings with social workers

Drama Activity

PSS session for women

Educational Activity

Links:

Naba'a Website

Permalink

Oct 23, 2023
Supporting women and girls due in Ein El Helweh

By Hiba Hamzi | Program Coordinator

PSS activities with children

The Direct Targeted Group

It comprises of 300 women and adolescent girls of following nationalities, Palestinian refugees from Lebanon (PRL), Palestinian refugees from Syria (PRS), Lebanese and Syrian and prioritizing elderly females and those with disabilities who were categorized as most vulnerable individuals among these circumstances, and who were in immense need for being provided by basic needs and being referred to any additional needed services such as, providing them by a psychosocial support due the negative psychological impact they suffered from the armed clashes and random bombardment.

Context Analysis and Background

Since the end of July 2023, the aggression of the armed clashes in En El Hilweh camp has been extending and causing displacement, trauma, injuries, deaths and instabilities. Stray missiles and bullets as well as random bombardments have been unstoppably damaging houses and resources, menacing people’s lives and resulting in continuous waves of displacement from the camp to emergency centers during the two rounds of armed clashes throughout August and September 2023.

The destructive bombardments, the random missiles, and the not responded calls of mercy have led to the displacement of more than 2568 families from their houses to mosques, UNRWA schools which turned into emergency centers, warehouses, gatherings and the more fortunate ones resorted to their relatives in Saida where around 70% of them were women, adolescent girls and children including persons with disabilities.

It was evident how miserable the circumstances that the displaced people were going through, whether in emergency centers or being hostedby the absence of basic needs, as they had left their houses empty-handed since the commencement of the armed hostilities. What exacerbated the situation was the inability of individuals to return to their houses after losing them, either partially or completely, notwithstanding the announcement of the ceasefire.

Accordingly, due to the unexpectedly eruption of the second round of clashes without prior alert, displaced women and adolescent girls fled out of their houses with their clothing they put on as a result of the shock and unconsciousness of what was happening around them, as their only concern was striving for their survival and protecting the children. Additionally, the psychological situation exacerbated among the female groups, as they are emotional by nature, as a result of what they have witnessed and gone through of armed clashes, trauma, trepidation of losing a family member, constant anxiety, and displacement. Therefore, they became more aggressive toward each other, venting their anger through screaming and beating. What made it worsen is that some of the displaced women were suffering psychological pressure beforehand, and its intensity exceeded the normal pace.

Intervention in emergency centers and for hosted families

Since the general atmosphere can be best summarized by terror, anxiety and disappointment in the light of what the families have witnessed of bombardments and injuries, adult females were in immense need for releasing their negative energy, expressing their feelings and setting their thoughts free. Thus, an expeditious intervention was necessary to find an effective and appropriate solution suitable for each case, so these following activities were conducted in homes and in displacement centers:

Identification and Reporting: After visits that took place in displacement centers and homes, 300 vulnerable women and adolescent girls are identified, and priority was given to the elderly and personswith disabilities, who are most vulnerable to being affected by conflict and irresponsible armed clashes. The assessment is carried outby case studies to monitor the risks facing them and determine the extent of this risk, whether it is low, medium or high, where several cases have been reported including: post-trauma stress disorder, panic attacks, tantrums, isolation, eating disorders, sleep disturbances, anxiety, aggressive reflexes. After classifying the type of risk, intervention is made according to the appropriate need, including psychological first aid, psychosocial support, individual sessions, referral to specialists or psychiatrists, or submission to an asylum,
Psychological First Aid: For the purpose of releasing stress, reducing anxiety, ensuring their comfortability, and avoiding aggressive attitudes or internal fights among families, we have planned and worked on conducting PFA activities to 300 adult females to assist them in the immediate aftermath of an emergency the moment they have arrived at the emergency centers or displaced in relatives’ homes to overcome what they are going through, reduce initial distress caused by the armed clashes and displacement, and to foster adaptation to the recent situation.
Psychosocial Support Activities: Conducting PSS activities for all adult females, 20 groups 15 females in each, classified based on age and focusing on integrating and involving elderly and persons with disabilities as priority,where various activities were covered on psychological debriefing such as: anger, emotional management, risk management and psychological stress, so they release the negative energy and thoughts, alleviate stress and anxiety, and promote positive thinking that assist them in adapting, as 10 sessions were conducted to each group.
PSS Individual sessions: All adult females were undergone to PSS individual sessions in order to determine the specific mental state for each one, where several cases were identified including: depression, apprehension, psychological pressure and stress and assist them to spoke up freely in a comforting and confidential environment and provide them any additional necessary and urgent services they would be needed for helping them dealing with their personal topics and achieving psychologically health lives.
Focused PSS: Taking into consideration women’s wellbeing, psychologist was in charge of conducting psychosocial therapy group such as: art therapy, venting, and enhancing positive thoughtsfor 180 women and girls referred from PSS activities and individual sessions to initiate their sense of belonging and improve their social life.
Awareness Sessions: acquiring awareness sessions are essential especially in those circumstances displaced females were going through as it assists them to successfully deal with significant life changing and challenges and develops the ability to manage their emotions, health and relationships. Accordingly, to help displaced females make informed decision, solve problems, communicate effectively and take care of their health, awareness sessions were conducted on solving problems, accepting other’s opinions, conflict resolution, effective communication, behavior control for all adult females emphasizing in including elderly and persons with disabilities. Additionally, raising awareness of them on reproductive and mental health, cyber and domestic violence, GBV, and abuse.
Referral System: Some services are required for those who needed it beyond the PFA, so based on cases that were followed by case management worker, it was essential to activate the referral system to committed a support for all these cases, as 180 cases were referred to psychologist, 7 high risk cases to a psychiatrist, 1 hemiplegia case for physical therapy, 5 pregnant and 7 breastfeeding women to gynecologist, all adult females were referred to medical services, and a mental illness case to an asylum.
Follow up Support: On purpose of ensuring a sustainable well-being, enhancing comfortability, reducing distress and fostering coping in the place of displacement for all displaced adult females in shelters and homes, wehave conducted a regular follow-up by visits or calls on daily basis for those who received PFA and who were referred to any further needed services.

It is worth to be mention that to alleviate the burden on the displaced mother and bring joy to her heart as her feeling of terror, trepidation, anxiety, stress and incapability to afford baby’s needs exacerbated, we organized a celebration to welcome her newborn baby at the emergency center on Saturday 23rd of September, a day after her birth, and providing her with health care and basic supplies, such as milk, baby bottle, baby board, diapers, and clothes. In addition to providing her with psychosocial sessions to avoid her subjection to a postpartum depression.

Furthermore,in terms of achieving dignity and warmth for the most vulnerable displaced women and adolescent girls, and as a result of abrupt of eruption of the armed clashes that forced families fleeing their homes without taking clothes with them to put on or change, we were responsible for providing 220 pieces of cotton clothes and pairs of shoes, and coordinating with local community to avoid duplication as we followed these step:

Needs Assessment: Since day one of displacement whether in shelters or homes, a comprehensive needs assessment is carried out to all displaced families in order to meet their needs, with a focus on women and girls group and for what they are in desperate need of as it becomes clear that one of their needs is to be provided with appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes.
Sourcing and Procurement:It is critical to determine trustworthy and good-natured suppliers who can provide high-quality cotton clothes and comfortable shoes while taking into account the region’s weather conditions and the women’s background and culture to find suitable clothing and shoes that suit, while also being eco-friendly.
Distribution: We cooperate with school officials and gatherings committees to set up specific distribution points close by and suitable for all displaced women, to facilitate and ensure their accessible for their needs.
Coordination with Local Community Organization: To preclude recurrence and overlapping of services for displaced women during the period of displacement, to regulatethe ease of access for these services, and to ensure the implementation of it, it was necessary to make coordination with local community organization.

After the ceasefire and with the deployment of the security forces in Ain El Hilweh camp, displaced women and girls returned to their homes, but with a psychological readiness for what they would witness of tremendous devastation to their camp due to the support they received on psychological level to confront the grave challenges. Despite the return of the displaced females, they are still among our targets in psychosocial support sessions. In addition to continuous follow-up of previously referred cases during period of displacement.

Case Study

Code: Nablus 034

Age: 22 years

Nationality: Palestinian

Number of Children: 2

Case summary:

She is 22 years old woman who gets married early at age of 16 years, and has 2 children ,2 and 4 years old. She suffers from family problems, as she is abused by her careless husband. Therefore, she suffers from psychological problems such as: depression and severe psychological pressure, as well as suffers from a domestic violence. The woman is currently displaced to Nablus school that was taken as emergency center due the armed clashes, where she feels vulnerable and alone and no longer has the ability to withstand the pressure.

Economic situation:

The economic situation of the family is dire due to her husband’s unemployment and her inability to work for lacking of a safe place that could leave her children in.

Social Situation:

Her social relationship with her husband is miserable where she cannot communicate with him positively. He is careless for his family, and insults her regularly in public, while her relation with her children is built up on caring and loving as she considers them her source of strength.

Furthermore, her relation with her family is disconnected since she got married with no any sign of communication between them, as she puts the blame on them for her situation, while her relation with her husband’s family is described as good, as her husband’s mother takes care of her and makes her feel the tenderness and motherhood that she was deprived of, as she says.

About the case:

The woman feels that she is powerless, alone and has no breadwinner, and that the whole world has abandoned her, especially her family who in her opinion sold her to get rid of. She has no siblings, so she considers her children to be her source of strength and her only hope to stay survived.

The case now is living as displaced person in a room, in the school she resorted to out of terror. She goes through psychological pressure and fatigue with no friend or companion as her husband’s family stayed in the camp. She says that last week she couldn’t sleep nor eat out of fear of what she has witnessed of bombardment, stray missiles, death, and bullets. She fled to the shelter solely due to her great fear for her children and the trauma her children were subjected to, when they saw the masked armed men in their neighborhood, so she could make sure that they are being protected.

Intervention Method:

- Registering her and giving her psychological first aid

- Conducting Individual psychological support sessions (12 sessions)

- Integrating the case with a women’s group to get to know each other and make friends

-Conducting Awareness sessions on: anger management, communication, emotion management, violence, communicating with children, personal hygiene, risk management, how to say no, self-esteem.

- Integrating her into Psychosocial support activities as she is participated in 6 art therapy sessions and 8 breathing yoga sessions to get relaxation and feeling positively.

- Referred her to the psychologist for following her up and strengthening her personality

- Opening a case management file to reduce the risk and empower.

Data Collection:

Personally by the case itself

Recommendations:

Following up the case after she returns to the camp

Integrating her into psychological support activities

Following up the case by the psychologist

Home visits to strengthen her relationship with her mother-in-law and to support her, as well as communicate with her husband to help her get comfortability.

Recreational Activities

Psychosocial activities

Distributing toys

Distributing baby kits

Links:

Naba'a Website

Permalink

Jun 26, 2023
Refugees with continues sufferings

By Hiba Hamzi | Program Coordinator

Education Session

Background during and after the implementation of the project;

Lebanon, which shares a border with Syria, has an estimated 1.1 million refugees, both Syrian refugees and about 450,000 Palestinian refugees, many of whom were born in Lebanon and have been displaced. With a total population of only 4.4 million, the massive 25% increase means a strain on already deteriorating resources and space as well as an overall impact.

Naba’a Achievements; During the last period, The most highlighted achievements during the last period;

1120 parents and caregivers motivated to be engaged in their children learning and well-being.
Around 2100 Youth and adolescents (70% females) involved in the life skills program including different topics such as (Communication skills, leader ship skills, how to protect themselves from abuse, reproductive health, peer to peer, human rights, child rights, women rights, etc…).
Nabaa’ provided inclusive education for 3210 boys and girls of school age (6-12 years) in the Palestinian camps and Syrian gatherings in Lebanon (Tripoli, Saida, Tyre, Nabatieh) “In line with UNRWA's educational reform and MEHE curriculum to support the education of refugees children from Syria, Palestinians or Syrians.
Children and women have been targeted in psychosocial activities as the following, 3051 children (males and females)and 550 parents most of them are women, including, vulnerable Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian refugees. Whereas, in Borj Al Shamali camp 555 children (males and females and 220 parents including (Lebanese, Syrian Refugees and Palestinian refugees).
It is worthy to note that, two child friendly psychosocial spaces were established at two UNRWA clinics (one in Ein El Helweh and one in Wadi El Zeni), where 2350 children whom their families access UNRWA clinics participated and joined the activities in these spaces.

Case Study;

Code:KS

-Date of birth:1980

-Gender: Female

- Nationality: Lebanese

-Address: Beirut – BorjHamoud

-Hobbies: Sport

-Family member: 4

-Status: Divorced

*About the life of the beneficiary:

- KS born in 1980, she is divorced and she has 3 children and she supports them. She works in clothes store. She got married at 20 age and she didn’t continue her education because of the bad economic situation of her family so she obliged to work in an early age to help her family with the basic needs in the house. After her marriage, the husband was very bad with KS and with her children, her husband used violence with them also the husband obliged her to spend all her salary on the house and on him, so she was forced into a consensual divorce (he leave her)because of the over economic and psychological burdens on her, now she works in a store for buying clothes to take care of her children and to support them. Her ex-husband doesn’t visit her, he doesn’t interfere with her and with his children, also he changed his religion to marry another woman. Then KS rented a house and she moved with her children to get rid of the stress. Note that her current situation is very bad because she carried all the responsibilities in the house (rent of the house – electricity – food - water – all basic needs for the children and for the house). Now she feels comfortable because she is far away from her ex-husband and his behaviors that were affected badly on her and on the children.

*Economic Situation:

The economic situation is very bad because the beneficiary obliged to decrease from the basic needs(food and clothes), besides she can’t insure school tools and daily needs for her children, also after the blast her salary decreased to 600,000L.L. because the sale reduced, she paid 300,000L.L. for the rent of the house, 100,00L.L. for the electricity, so 200,000L.L. remained with her and this amount is not sufficient for the basic needs in the house.

*Health Situation:

Very good

*Social Situation:

-The relation between the mother and her children: very good, she communicates with them and she understands them.

-The relation between the mother and her husband: she is divorced, she doesn’t communicate with him, she doesn’t mention him with bad things (according to her speech).

*The problem that the beneficiary is currently suffering from:

-She suffers from constant crying.

- She suffers from stress and fear from the current situation (blast- bad economic situation)-

*Data Collection:

- Individual sessions with the beneficiary.

*Intervention:

-Supply the beneficiary with the map for some organizations that can help her cash or food assistance.

-Supply the beneficiary with food assistance from the organization.

-PSS for the beneficiary.

*Recommendations:

-Refer the beneficiary to the PSS sessions inside our organization.

-Refer the children of the beneficiary to the PSS activities sessions inside our organization.

-Put the beneficiary in the hardship regulation list to support her economical and psychological.

Pre-school activities

Awareness Session

Learning Support

Links:

Naba'a Website

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