Provide meals for Syrian and Lebanese refugees

As of today, from the 3^rd of January till the 1^st of November there have been 642.024 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 8.502 deaths, the total of vaccine doses administered is 3.483.026 (WHO).

Fortunately, the economic situation in Lebanon changed for the better, if in June one Dollar was exchanged for 17.500 Lebanese Liras, today one Dollar is exchanged for 1.507 Lebanese Liras (data of the 2^nd of November). Nevertheless, people are still protesting in the streets because the social crisis continue, salaries in LBP remain unchanged and the State is unable to offer any assistance to the most vulnerable. With today’s energetic crisis people are unable to get their most needed medicines, and have to wait for more than 3 hours to get fuel, if they do and the blackouts can last 22 hours. Prices are sharply increasing daily, and most products are now being priced in USD or the daily rate of the parallel market (today for instance 1 USD = 22,500 LBP in the parallel market) whereas the official rate is still 1,500 LBP. 

Angry demonstrations and random roadblocks are making the life of the Lebanese people very hard. Everything is happening so quickly that the people are unable to keep pace. The 14th of October a shooting took place in Beirut between the Christian and Muslim neighborhoods during a protest of Shiite formations. Again, we hope that these fighting will calm down for the good of the population who continues to suffer.

Political stagnation, the inability to form a government and the start of the trial on the 2020 Beirut explosion led to the incrimination of various high government officials, something that most of us didn’t expect since the political class for decades has reigned in impunity. We hope that the families of the victims will achieve justice for their losses.

Our local partner “Oui pour la vie” keeps working in order to support Syrian and Lebanese families in Damour area providing full meals and helping them in their daily basic needs. Thanks to your donations, from the 9^th of July till the 31^st of October we were able to collect 9.930,48 USD Dollars!

Tensions in Lebanon keep going on, in particular in Beirut. The main reason is the deep fall in the value of the local currency, the Lira, as compared to US Dollar. In June one Dollar was exchanged for 17.500 Lebanese Liras, while one year ago one dollar was worth 1.500 Liras. This new negative record pushed Lebanese citizens into the streets in almost every city and region of the country, which organized protests and roadblocks. The army had to intervene and the Red Cross registered about ten wounded people.

For two years Lebanon has been experiencing the worst economic crisis of the last three decades. To this is added the chronic lack of electricity, which has worsened in the last weeks of June. In the most important Covid hospital in Beirut, as many other healthcare structures in the country, electricity supply is lacking 21 hours a day. From this news we can all understand the complex situation of the country and how hardly it is facing this Covid-19 pandemics. According to the World Health Organization, since January 2020 till now there have been more than 540.000 confirmed cases with more than 7.800 deaths. Up to now a little more than a million vaccine doses have been administered.

Moreover, Lebanese authorities have suspended all international flights from and to Lebanon from March till the beginning of July. Precautionary measures are always in place, like the closure of schools and universities, as well as places of worship, cinemas and sport activities.

Our local partner “Oui pour la vie” keeps working in order to support Syrian and Lebanese families in Damour area providing full meals and helping them in their daily basic needs. We want to thank all of you donors for the constant the support, in particular in these difficult moments!

In the last few months Lebanon is facing a compounded crisis: the economic and financial collapse, the political impasse, the massive explosion that caused a real human tragedy in August and the destruction of the port of Beirut (dense residential and commercial areas nearby), will have negative long-term implications at the national level.

Last but not least, the emergency caused by Covid-19 pandemics has exacerbated the structural vulnerabilities of the country. Lockdown led to the dramatic rise in unemployment and in essential goods’ prices. According to the World Health Organization the deaths caused by the Virus have been more than 5000 so far and the vaccination campaign is just beginning. Lebanese authorities have extended internal closures of commercial activities and transports till March 2021. Controls of armed and security forces have increased because protest demonstrations and roadblocks are even more likely, leading to tensions and violence.

Almost three quarters of households do not have sufficient resources to afford the costs of food, shelter, medical care and education. Almost a quarter of the citizens wants to emigrate and at the same time the life of Syrian refugees in Lebanon is characterized by fear, desperation and constant intimidations. The exchange rate between dollar and Lebanese Lira has rocketed (if one and a half year ago one dollar corresponded to 1500 Liras, nowadays it coincides to 9.400 Liras) and depreciation is about 84%. The result is that all prices have multiplied by seven/eight times.

During Christmas time volunteers of “Oui pour la Vie” worked hard in order to deliver food, medicines and gifts to the children, despite all the difficulties and the increasing fear of being infected. The local healthcare is indeed often inefficient, expensive and a lot of people cannot afford it. For these reasons all the volunteers are providing concrete help and food to the beneficiaries families as well as a more moral and psychological support that can bring them a little hope for the future.

We want to thank everyone that is supporting us and that is allowing Damour kitchen to continue to operate, always by the side of the most vulnerable Lebanese families.

Dear donor, thank you for your contribution to Lebanon.

The explosion that shook Beirut on August 4 has exacerbated the economic situation of the country: the Lebanese lira had already lost 80% of its purchase power and Covid-19 had started spreading among the population that was already worn out by the consequences of the Syrian crisis. As a consequence of the terrible deflagration, about 200 people are dead, 500 are wounded and over 300 thousand are displaced, and one-third of them are children. Thousands of residents, and especially the elderly, are still traumatized and struggle to leave their damaged houses to the point that they even end up sleeping in the street. A significant number of families have moved in temporary accommodations, or they share shelters with other families in unstable living conditions where looting and violence episodes are not rare.

For the sake of hygiene and prevention of the spread of the virus, the volunteers of the association "Oui pour la vie" can no longer prepare warm meals in the canteen, but their commitment has not stopped: after the tragic event that took place in August, they have intensified their aid activities to the most vulnerable, independently of their origin, through the distribution of basic food boxes containing long-life or packaged products.

The association headquarters are indeed only 17 kilometres away from Beirut and the volunteers, despite the deep economic crisis that deprived them of most of their income, are working hard to help the poor and the needy (even with their own personal resources) in the full spirit of solidarity and sharing that has always characterized the association.

From this picture, the dramatic situation that Lebanese families and children are currently experiencing clearly emerges. We have already been able to do a lot thanks to your support, but we have to continue to provide our contribution to the local population: stand by us in this challenge!

Dear Donor;

In our last report we told you about the tragic incidents faced by the population in Damour.
In addition to this situation, the inhabitants could not escape the new pandemic which resulted in the lockdown throughout the country: poverty!

Currently the lockdown is over but it has caused a worsening of poverty conditions due to rising prices and lack of work.

On our side, the canteen service is having a hard time reopening its doors. Not only people are still afraid of contagion so they don't come but, on the other hand, the lack of food and lack of work creates a climate of distress and stress.

This is why we need your help to continue to guarantee our canteen service in the best way we can.

 Thank you!