By Nabih Jabr | Under-Secretary General
Lebanon is facing several overlapping and major crises, and the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) is at the forefront of the response, providing most notably:
- Direct financial assistance to the most vulnerable families that were affected by the Beirut Port Explosion
- Providing ambulance services for the COVID19 response
- Scaling up primary health services to help the population cope with the financial crisis
The Beirut Port Explosion of the 4th of August 2020 left more than 50,000 families in dire need of aid. Combined with the COVID19 crisis and the unprecedented economic crisis with a massive devaluation of the local currency, thousands of these families became particularly vulnerable and were not able to address their basic needs.
The Lebanese Red Cross rapdily set up a direct cash assistance program aiming to provide 300 USD (in USD not in local currency), to at least 10,000 families, for a period of 7 months. To date, 9800 families have received 5 rounds of the 300 USD payment, totaling 1500USD per family. They will be receiving their final 2 payments by June 2021.
The families were selected based on the results of more than 30,000 assessments done by the Lebanese Red Cross teams, to help identify and support the most vulnerable families among the affected population.
These families received an ATM card which they use on a monthly basis to address their most urgent needs for food, medicine, healthcare, small repairs and education. This approach allows the beneficiary to identify his or her own priorities in all dignity, and contributes to helping the local market to recover.
The GlobalGiving contributions of 189,000 USD (at date of writing this report) have allowed the Lebanese Red Cross to continue providing vital crisis response and health services during these challenging times for Lebanon.
The Lebanese Red Cross extends its heartfelt thanks to all those who have contributed, and we renew our committment to continue responding to this crisis as well as to provide our vital free ambulance and blood services across Lebanon, in all impartiality and neutrality, in accordance with the seven Fundamental Principles of the International Movement of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
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