Air Strikes in Lebanon: Welthungerhilfe Providing USD 233,000 for People in Need
215,000 people have been displaced and need help
Bonn/Berlin, September 27, 2024. More and more people are fleeing to other parts of the country or back to Syria following the ongoing air raids in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley. In the past seven days alone, the number of displaced women, men, and children has risen by 104,000, increasing the total number of internally displaced people (IDP) to around 215,000. In response to the humanitarian crisis, Welthungerhilfe (WHH) is expanding its ongoing emergency aid for displaced people in southern Lebanon and making an additional EUR 200,000 (approx. USD 233,000) available.
"As battles rage, people flee out of fear that their house could be struck by a bomb. They seek protection in long-defunct schools, informal settlements, or relatives’ homes. Having fled in panic, many now own little more than the clothes on their back. In their current accommodations, shortages are widespread, especially in terms of mattresses, food, and hygiene supplies,” says Tommaso Portogalli, area manager of WHH in Lebanon, describing the situation.
“In the reception centers, our partners provide people with warm meals and offer psychosocial counseling for the often-traumatized refugees. We support small-scale farmers who are unable to leave their farms, or whose fields and equipment have been destroyed, by offering cash transfers so that they can provide themselves with the essentials. We are now expanding this aid approach,” adds Tommaso Portogalli.
Together with three partner organizations, WHH has been supporting displaced people in the Governorates of South and Nabatieh for several months. However, emergency operations are frequently interrupted to ensure the safety of staff. WHH calls on all parties to immediately deescalate and protect the civilian population.
WHH has been active in Lebanon since 2016. In 2023, the organization supported more than 51,000 people with projects worth EUR 3 million (approx. USD 3,35 million).
Tommaso Portogalli, area manager of WHH Lebanon (currently not on site), and staff in Beirut Governorate, Lebanon, are available for interview (all in English).
Welthungerhilfe is one of the largest private aid organizations in Germany; it is politically independent and non-denominational. With courage and determination, it is striving for a world without hunger. Since it was founded on December 14, 1962, 12,128 overseas projects in about 72countries have been supported with 5.07 billion euros. Welthungerhilfe follows the principle of empowering people to help themselves to sustainably improve their living conditions, offering everything from fast disaster relief to reconstruction and long-term development cooperation projects with national and international partner organizations.
