This article was originally written in Arabic by Serge Mghames
The Syrian war has greatly burdened Lebanon with its misery and sorrow. After more than 6 years, further than 2 million Syrians have fled hunger, murder and subjugation, forcing the Lebanese government to open its doors and try its best to provide them with all the aid it could.
Today, we will tell the story of a Syrian man who ran away with his family from the woe of war, looking for a safe haven in Lebanon. His story is similar to that of thousands of maltreated who decided to choose an extremely difficult path and take refuge in Lebanon hoping to find a chance for a better life and safer tomorrow.
Suffering, Diseases and Difficult Conditions
Tarek (a fictional name) is a 51-year-old man who ran away with his family of 10 people from their village in Syria. They entered the Lebanese territory, specifically the Bekaa, more than a year ago. They faced great suffering because they had no shelter above their heads, no access to any kind of hygiene items, water or even toilets.
Their miserable state lasted for a while, and the family resorted to nearby fields and forests to use as toilets. Tarek was deeply affected by his family's situation and the difficult conditions they had to undergo. In winter, their agony increased due to the cold, frosty weather and snow, noting that they had neither heating supplies nor a shelter. The children's health was also extremely affected since they had no means to care for their hygiene, just like the entire family. This eventually led the children to get infected with several diseases.
A Glimpse of Hope
After enduring all that agony, the humanitarian NGO Medair intervened and rushed to their rescue. They provided the family with settlement tents, a water tank and toilets, as well as all kinds of cleaning and bathing supplies. Medair made sure to deliver clean water, set up bathrooms near the tents so they don't have to wander far in the forests to use a toilet, and provided periodic sewage draining.
Tarek says that after Medair's intervention and help, his family's life has changed drastically and living became much easier, especially for the children who no longer suffer from diseases.
Helping More Than 150 Thousand Refugees in a Year!
It is worth mentioning that Medair is a Swiss NGO, working since 2012 in Lebanon, that employ international experts and more than 80 Lebanese staff. It helps Syrian refugees across Lebanon and regional countries, making sure to carry on with its mission that aims to provide aid and comforting supplies for refugees.
In 2016, Medair helped more than 150 thousand Syrian refugees and also vulnerable Lebanese in the Bekaa area alone, ensuring clean water for over 6,000 people, draining the sewage for 154 settlements, providing settlement tents to more than 11 thousand families, as well as distributing 2,078 fire extinguishers to avoid fires in camps. The NGO also made sure to help a large number of older people and ones with special needs.
For the original Arabic article, click on the following link:
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