Humanitarian Aid

SUPPORTING THE REFUGEE, THE DISPLACED, THE OPPRESSED, AND THE IMPOVERISHED

The need is great all over the Middle East.

Lebanon is a country of approximately 4.5 million people with more than 2.5 million refugees. In 2019, Lebanon entered a period of severe economic crisis: the currency lost 98% of its value, the banking sector collapsed, and 80% of the population plunged below the poverty level. The situation devolved with the COVID pandemic in 2020, along with the Beirut port explosion. The blast caused the loss of all 48 grain silos erected at the port, a significant loss for a country that imports 80% of its food needs. The shortage of grain imports due to the Russo-Ukrainian conflict has further stressed the country.

The Lebanese government is effectively paralyzed, having had no duly-elected president in over a year. Due to governmental collapse, there is no guarantee of electricity or other government services. Since October 2023, Lebanon has also been impacted by the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has burned over 2,000 hectares of agricultural land and forests, killed more 340,000 farm animals, razed 60 greenhouses, destroyed at least 9 water wells, done more than $1.2 billion in damages, and driven almost 100,000 people from their homes. Many farmers have abandoned their farms due to the increasingly prohibitive expense of traditional farming, not to mention the constant shelling and burning of their lands. Around 72% of farmers report a loss of income.

These contributors to extreme food inflation – over 200% since 2020 and reaching over 350% for some months of 2022 and 2023 has resulted in crisis-level food insecurity throughout Lebanon. The situation is dire. Malnutrition is a significant concern, as 75% of children under five in Lebanon have experienced food poverty, 25% of children under five in Lebanon live in extreme food poverty, and 40% of women and children are anemic.

Syria has been battered by war since 2011. More than 500,000 people have been killed and millions have been displaced. Two million refugees fled to neighboring Lebanon, causing a humanitarian crisis in that country. Nearly 13 million Syrians currently face food insecurity, a problem made intractable by the bombing of Syrian airports which has caused dozens of humanitarian aid flights to be canceled since October 2023. Syria experienced a devastating earthquake in 2023 which further damaged infrastructure already severely impacted by thirteen years of war. Approximately 90% of the population lives in severe poverty and an estimated 7.5 million Syrian children require humanitarian aid in 2024. Syria is home to 7 million internally displaced persons and nearly 17 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

WAM is also active in Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan. We provide emergency supplemental food parcels, hygiene kits, medications and medical supplies, and trauma training services throughout the Middle East. Where people are suffering, WAM is responding. Your gifts enable our response.

FEEDING PROJECTS

In 2023, WAM provided 8,400 food parcels, 9,500 hot meals, 25,992 hygiene kits, and 2,400 paper towels to needy families in Lebanon. WAM also distributed 15,000 emergency food parcels in Egypt and Syria in 2023.

INFANT CARE

Families with babies have been hit extra hard by Lebanon’s financial crisis, as diapers, wipes, and formula have become unaffordable to many impoverished families. WAM is addressing this need by providing diapers, wipes, and formula to needy families. WAM distributed over 300,000 diapers and 2,250 boxes of wipes in 2023, ensuring essential supplies to care for 100 babies.

WINTERIZATION

Extreme inflation has severely impacted many families’ ability to buy enough heating fuel to stay warm through the cold winter months. For these families, WAM provided 240 fuel vouchers and 3,400 blankets in 2023.

TRAUMA HEALING

Thirteen years into the Syrian refugee crisis, pastors, aid workers, teachers, and community members in Lebanon continue to be overwhelmed by the needs of refugees. They work tirelessly, but very few have been adequately trained to cope with such devastation as they find in refugee camps. Compassion fatigue is a reality. WAM believes in helping the helpers.

WAM began partnering with traumatologists to provide Trauma Training to Lebanese and Syrian pastors, priests, nurses, doctors, teachers, youth workers, and volunteers. Classes have included Psychological First Aid, Assessing PTSD, Compassion Fatigue, Grief and Loss, E.M.D.R., and Field Traumatology. Our teams also train camp counselors, early childhood educators, and daycare workers in how to help traumatized children. WAM utilizes a trauma-sensitive curriculum in our healing camps for refugee children.