Why Lebanon Matters, and How You Can Help Lebanese People in 2021

Lebanon is currently sinking into a humanitarian catastrophe, as the World Bank has described the crisis as a “deliberate depression” with more than half of the population likely below the national poverty line. Lebanese politicians are yet expected to form a new government while the country continues to exist without a functioning government in the midst of a financial crisis that began two years ago.

Most Lebanese people are currently struggling every day due to inflation and acute shortages of fuel, electricity, medicine and water, which makes them in great need of direct emergency assistance to have access to these basic services. Not only is Lebanon also home to over a million Syrian refugees who require further assistance, the country is also in danger of becoming another possible failed state in the region, which can increase the financing of terrorism and criminal networks, human trafficking, and the supply of illegal weapons.

If you are an Egyptian  at home or living abroad, there are many ways that you can help to ensure that even basic needs are being met before a new government takes shape.

Support ‘Medicines for Lebanon’ initiative to provide medical supplies

As the health situation worsens with the economic crisis, the Medicines for Lebanon initiative is a great way to provide medical supplies wherever you are in the world. It creates a network of solidarity between patients, buyers and travelers. It is available to all patients in Lebanon lacking medicines and is open to donors and buyers worldwide.

Medicines for Lebanon provides several options for you to provide medical supplies. First, if you are willing to buy one or more medicines, these medicines are transported by a traveller moving to Lebanon. The buyer is reimbursed 100% by Medicines For Lebanon for the costs related to the purchased medicines.

Another option is to donate your unused medicines, and you will be provided with a list of the most urgent medicines that are needed at the moment.

If you are traveling to Lebanon yourself, you can agree to carry medicines with you and provide it to those in need, or you can help them by making a tax-free monetary donation, where 100% of the amount donated will be used for the benefit of one or more Lebanese patients wishing to obtain medication.

Support youth-related projects in Lebanon

As youth represent the heart of any nation, you can try to contribute to youth-related projects and organizations that fight youth unemployment and poverty.

The Nawaya Network works on developing the skills of youth from underprivileged communities in Lebanon by connecting them with mentors, businesses, and institutions to help them pursue their own skills or passions.

They are currently running several projects which you can donate to, such as ‘Skill-building for Unemployed Youth in Lebanon‘ which aims to support up to 1,500 young people in three main programs: an entrepreneurship program for Lebanese and refugee youth, a coding bootcamp for unemployed computer science graduates from low-income backgrounds, and a talent development program for low-income youth.

You can also support ‘Support 100 Financially-Vulnerable Youth in Beirut‘, which generates a monthly income of $150 for unemployed youth from Nawaya to help them in gaining employability and soft skills with hopes of helping them find jobs in partnership with UNICEF and the “Jobs for Lebanon” platform.

Support ‘Jobs for Lebanon’ platform

If you are an employer, you can help by offering employment to Lebanese people, then the ‘Jobs for Lebanon‘ platform is the easiest and most effective way to help you to do so. Promising to ‘rally the global diaspora to create an alternate economy for Lebanon’, the platform helps you simply post a job opening and you can choose the level of experience, type of employment and whether the job will be done remotely or not.

Support ‘Beit Al Baraka’ organization

Beit Al Baraka has gained a reputation for its tremendous work and effort in helping rebuild Lebanon. They provide a free supermarket for people that sells basic food and home necessities, refurbish homes through sanitary requirements, heating, waterproofing, mildew removal, painting, tiling, electrical works, and new furniture, implement agriculture projects, as well as ensure access to social security, education and retirement pensions for all.

To support the organization, you can simply ‘donate’ through their website.

For further information on how you can support Lebanese people, click the help card here.