The work of Terre des Hommes in Lebanon

Lebanon has the highest number of refugees per capita, with approximately 1.5 million Syrian refugees and 180,000 Palestinian refugees among a population of less than 6 million. Following the introduction of stricter regulations in 2015, only 9% of refugees have managed to obtain residency permits, while the others live in informal settlements in conditions of marginalization and vulnerability. After the Covid-19 pandemic and the devastating explosion in the port of Beirut, this country is experiencing a profound socioeconomic crisis that has pushed 82% of Lebanese families and over 90% of refugees below the poverty line.

In this context, children are the ones who suffer the most: only 43% of children were enrolled in school in the 2021-2022 school year, due to the lack of low-cost school facilities and transportation prices. 30% of adolescents who previously attended school have dropped out. Among refugee children, to alleviate family poverty, over 27,500 work below the minimum legal age, and 20% of adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 are married at an early age.

Terre des Hommes has been present in Lebanon since 2006 with humanitarian aid projects focused on protecting the most vulnerable children and promoting inclusive education.

HOW DO WE HELP CHILDREN IN LEBANON?

• To make up for lost school years and to integrate refugee children into the public school system, with the “Back To The Future” project, we have established educational centers where they can acquire basic knowledge of Arabic, mathematics, and English, participate in extracurricular and after-school activities. These activities are also open to vulnerable Lebanese children. We have rehabilitated many schools, also providing them with sports fields. Special attention is given to children with disabilities, promoting quality and inclusive education, as well as to children at risk of exploitation and early marriage. Other interventions with the same educational methodology are dedicated to the most vulnerable Palestinian refugee children.
• We contribute to the fight against domestic and gender-based violence through community engagement and involving girls. With the “She Leads” project, we aim to amplify the voices of girls and involve them in institutional decision-making processes. This approach enables us to promote cultural change within society, aiming to overcome discrimination and strive for gender equality.
• We have carried out interventions dedicated to the communities most affected by the Beirut explosion, including training sessions for public officials on child protection, awareness campaigns on children’s rights, renovation of public spaces, and psychosocial activities for children and parents.

Our main donors in Lebanon are the Madad Fund of the European Union, UNICEF, the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), and the Dutch Ministry of Cooperation.