Lebanon

WeWorld has been in Lebanon since 2006 with projects in the areas of WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene), education and refugee protection. 

The situation in Lebanon has been unstable since the end of the civil war in 1990. The country is continuously embroiled in regional and international conflicts. The war in Syria, which has protracted for ten years, has confirmed to be one of the worst humanitarian crises of the last 40 years.  

Lebanon is home to one and half million Syrians who fled Syria, along with Palestinian refugees and displaced people: almost half of these are children and adolescents. The strong flow of refugees has heavily affected the socio-economic stability of Lebanon, causing not only the increase in unemployment rates but also the emergence of social tensions between Syrians and the host community. 

We are committed to providing basic emergency assistance, community support through the improvement of water management nationwide and the restoration of public infrastructures. Regarding vulnerable groups, we work in support of Syrian refugees, of the host community, young people, women, institutions and local NGOs, through capacity-building actions. 

Finally, to improve access to quality educational services, one of our projects aims to enhance school activities and increase enrollment rates by improving the reception and integration capacities of schools, promoting the school inclusion of children with special needs.

The recognised shortage of water resources, the growing demand for water by the host Lebanese communities and by the Syrian refugees, as well as the need for sustainable management of available water resources, has led us to implement a complex intervention strategy in the WASH sphere.  

Our programmes in the Bekaa Valley and in Akkar promote the efficient management of water resources and a decrease in the maintenance costs of the sector, with the ultimate goal of assuring an improved service for users, i.e. for the Lebanese community and for Syrian refugees, the sustainability of the water supply as well as the strengthening of the Lebanese institutions.  We have improved the entire public water distribution system with infrastructure works, the training of technicians and the improvement of the management. 

Regarding the long-lasting humanitarian crisis, which has increased the vulnerability of people with disabilities and their families, both Lebanese and Syrian, we carry out protection and prevention programmes specifically designed for the needs of the disabled. 

To support the most vulnerable, we act to mitigate the negative social and economic consequences of the Syrian crisis. We aim to promote access to income and employment, in particular for women, young people and people with disabilities, through the strengthening of their technical skills, the access to job opportunities available on the local market and the support of self-employment. We have helped create employment opportunities for both Lebanese and Syrian refugees by strengthening a peaceful coexistence. 

Finally, to improve access to quality educational services, one of our projects aims to enhance school activities and increase enrollment rates by improving the reception and integration capacities of schools, promoting the school inclusion of children with special needs.