Alleviation of Refugee Crisis in Lebanon Through Humanitarian Aid Projects of Slovak Development Organizations in the Era of Covid-19 Pandemic B

Original Articles 63

Alleviation of Refugee Crisis in Lebanon through Humanitarian Aid Projects of Slovak Development Organizations in the Era of Covid-19 Pandemic B. Markovic Baluchova (Bozena Markovic Baluchova)

Original Article 1 Department of Development and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Palacky University in Olomouc, Ul. 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic. 2 Ambrela – Platform for Development Organizations, Mileticova 7, 82108 Bratislava, Slovakia. E-mail address: [email protected] Reviewers:

Andrea A Shahum Chapel Hill NC, USA Claus Muss IGAP Zurich CH Reprint address:

Bozena Markovic Baluchova Department of Development and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science Palacky University in Olomouc, Ul. 17. listopadu 12 77146 Olomouc Czech Republic

Source: Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Volume: 12 Issue: 1 Pages: 63 – 68 Cited references: 14 Publisher:

International Society of Applied Preventive Medicine i-gap Keywords:

Humanitarian Aid. SlovakAid. ODA. Lebanon. Refugees. Migration. Covid-19 Pandemic. Ambrela – Platform for Development Organizations. CSWHI 2021; 12(1): 63 – 68; DOI: 10.22359/cswhi_12_1_13 ⓒ Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention

Abstract: Lebanon hosts the highest number of refugees in the world in relation to its population (every seventh inhabitant is a refugee). In light of the events of Spring 2020, new concerns emerge: how will the living conditions of the domestic and refugee communities in Lebanon, already burdened by the eco - nomic crisis, be exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic? In this paper, the Slovak intervention by members of Ambrela – Plat -

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form for Development Organizations is presented. It focuses on preventing and addressing the causes of migration by im - proving the living conditions of the population and its prospects for finding employment in home communities. Study also shows the impact on alleviation of the refugee crisis in Lebanon under the SlovakAid brand by the recent humanitar - ian crisis related to the Covid-19 . Introduction North Africa into Europe is to help the countries Currently, the small Middle Eastern country most affected by the crisis and closest to its epi - of Lebanon with its population of 6.8 million center. Lebanon may serve as an instance of (World Population Review, 2020) is experienc - what such aid looks like in practice. Since the ing a political, financial and refugee crisis all at outbreak of the so-called migration and refugee the same time. It is home to around one million crisis, the Slovak Republic has been intensively refugees displaced by the war in nearby Syria, involved in humanitarian activities in Lebanon. lasting since 2011. If we add up hundreds of It has been focusing on preventing and address - thousands of Palestinian refugees displaced ing the causes of migration by improving the from society, who have been traveling to the living conditions of the population and its country since 1948 until this day, the number prospects for finding employment in home may increase significantly (Markovic Balu - communities. Special attention has been paid to chova, 2020). This small country on the improving the living conditions of refugees Mediterranean coast, where Shiites, Sunnis and with an aim to assist them in their temporary Christians share power, still has the highest stay in host countries, or their return to their number of refugees per capita in the world countries of origin. (SlovakAid, 2019) Since (UNHCR, 2020). Lebanon, tried by the 1975- 2016, the Slovak Republic has been implement - 1990 civil war and the wars with Israel (1982 ing humanitarian projects there through official & 2006), has not collapsed nor disintegrated. development assistance (ODA). The Slovak Still, the Spring hunger strikes impacted by the Agency for International Development Coop - Covid19 pandemic may further deepen the in - eration (SAIDC) has supported 9 humanitarian ternal disintegration and collapse of the state. projects in Lebanon under the brand of Slo - The problems associated with the refugee vakAid so far. crisis are not manageable in the long run. The Methodology and Research growing number of refugees from Syria is a Participants heavy burden, especially for Lebanon's infras - tructure and labor market. This is an issue es - The aim of the paper is to identify activities pecially in the Bekaa Valley, where more than of Slovak organizations alleviating the refugee 300,000 refugees live. Due to the legal vacuum, crisis in Lebanon and to analyse an impact of many fleeing people end up in the infamous global pandemic Covid-19 on these activities as Palestinian refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila part of ongoing Humanitarian Aid projects. in Beirut. Families in need live there in inhos - Qualitative research methods (content analysis pitable conditions. There is dirty water close by of project documents, as well as nonprofits’ the tents, garbage heaps, no sewerage, the roads websites and following structured interviews are dusty, and electricity is expensive (Toda, with project managers from particular aid non - 2016). profits) have been chosen for validation. The European Union and its member states First research participant was ADRA Slo - (including Slovakia) work to assist the Leba - vakia – a Slovak humanitarian and develop - nese government in addressing the above-men - ment organization which operates in low-in - tioned crises. One of the EU's strategies to deal come countries and at home. It is part of the in - with the refugee crisis and the growing number ternational organization ADRA (Adventist De - of people fleeing from the Middle East and velopment and Relief Agency), and in 2018 it

Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Vo l. 12 N o. 1 2021 Original Articles 65 celebrated 25 years of its existence. From Au - SlovakAid, but more often thanks to the fund - gust 2019 to August 2020, in cooperation with ing by private donors, church collections or the partner ADRA Lebanon, the organization with the support of the Conference of Bishops implemented a project in the field of WASH of Slovakia (CBS). The project titled‚ Support - (i.e. water, sanitation and hygiene) entitled‚ ing Education of Children of Palestinian WASH Intervention in the Baalbek Area for Syr - Refugees is implemented thanks to the support ian refugees and the Lebanese (ADRA Slo - of CBS for several years now. The activities vakia, 2019) . take place in the Dbayeh Refugee Camp near The organization People in Need (PiN) also Beirut, which was established in 1959 for the took an active part in the research and Am - Palestinian community fleeing the armed con - brela’s Case Study (Markovic Baluchova, flict in Galilee. Currently, a fourth generation 2020). It just finished its third project in Le - lives in the camp, making their living from ca - banon. The history of the organization dates sual work. However, during the civil war in back to 1999 when it was established in re - Lebanon, the local school was destroyed and sponse to the situation in war-torn Kosovo. In the children attended schools close by the 2016, PiN merged with Czech humanitarian camp. They were often harassed and attacked and development organization People in Need, while commuting to school (Caritas Slovakia, and today it operates as a non-profit organiza - 2019). tion as a part of the international People in Need Results network. From August 2019 to the end of Au - gust 2020, the organization was implementing Lebanon was already in a serious economic a project entitled Education as a Pathway to crisis before the onset of the COVID-19 pan - Better Living Conditions for Vulnerable Chil - demic, which has exacerbated it further. The dren and Youth From Lebanese and Refugee Lebanese population is losing not only employ - Communities in Tripoli (People in Need, 2019) ment but also savings. A new wave of protests in the second largest city in Lebanon. against anti-pandemic measures has risen. The medical humanitarian organization While the Autumn 2019 street protests against Magna was established in 2001 and started pro - the ruling elites were peaceful, those of March viding medical assistance to disaster victims 2020 seemed different and more dangerous around the world based on the direct experience (Daniel, 2020). of the founding couple with the AIDS epidemic In March 2020, after the Covid-19 outbreak, in Cambodia. Today, through its hospitals, Ambrela member organizations which imple - Magna provides health care, medicines and ment humanitarian and development projects in food to children and their families. It has its the country had to reduce their activities and own medical and technical teams in the field, transform and adapt them significantly to the which provide the necessary help and treat - then current situation. The content analysis of ment. Since October 2019, the organization has documents and interviews with project man - been implementing a project in Lebanon titled‚ agers from particular Slovak aid nonprofits Providing Reproductive Health Care, Including were conducted from June to July 2020 – just a the Management of Cases of Sexual Violence, few weeks before the massive explosion of am - to Syrian Refugees and Internally Displaced monium nitrate in Beirut port. Therefore, an aid Persons in the Baalbek-Hermel Areas ( Magna, intervention of Ambrela’s members to this hu - 2019) , scheduled for completion in November manitarian crisis is not included into this re - 2020. search paper. Another Ambrela member, Caritas Slo - The main output of the ADRA’s project was vakia , assists more than 23,000 people in need the construction of a water reservoir in Hay El each year through 10 diocesan/archdiocesan Shaab Wal Zahrae within Baalbek. The aim was charities and its secretariat in Slovakia and to ensure access to safe drinking water for the abroad. In low-income countries, the organiza - local community (21,000 Lebanese and 8,000 tion implements its humanitarian and develop - Syrian people). According to the latest informa - ment projects – sometimes with the support of tion, the construction of the water reservoir was

Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Vo l. 12 N o. 1 2021 66 Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention completed, but ADRA had to halt or suspend The field work was extremely demanding, training on safe and hygienic use of water for but at the same time, very instructive.“ locals in Baalbek. The activities were being The organization People in Need provided transformed into training focused on hygiene education and psychological support through and Covid-19 prevention. Before the COVID- WhatsApp during the lockdown due to Covid- 19 pandemic, only one such training was held 19 pandemic. Moreover, it provided cell phone in a camp for 25 families, which was attended top-up credit for families who could not afford mainly by women. Project manager Anna- the Internet. It also started providing multifunc - Maria Benkova of ADRA Slovakia stated: tional meal tickets for families who could no „The training participants expressed longer afford to buy even basic food and hy - gratitude for the acquired knowledge and giene products . Importantly, the organization skills, but also for our interest in providing also coordinated its activities with the activities a helping hand and education which will of other organizations (People in Need, 2020). translate into the care of their families. They The Magna’s project provides needy and so - also offered something like a needs assess - cially excluded people with access to health ment and ideas for future projects on how to care, and strengthens the capacities of health improve living conditions with a bit of as - structures and local staff to access and treat sistance.“ cases of sexual violence. Strengthening the pro - The PiN’s project responded to the educa - fessional capacities and raising awareness of tional needs of children aged 4-10 to qualify for promoting the rights of women and other enrollment and maintain their regular school at - groups of active civil society is equally impor - tendance. It also targeted young people, helping tant. The Chaat, Youmine and Baalbek refugee to increase the employability of the disadvan - settlements in the Baalbek-Hermel area still do taged youth aged 16-26. Through field workers, not provide quality reproductive health ser - in cooperation with the SEED partner, the pro - vices, either mental health and psychosocial ject provided psychosocial support to children, support for victims of sexual violence. In the young people, their families, as well as peda - Spring 2020 Magna adapted its activities to the gogical staff. It also educated parents to support current situation related to Covid-19 pandemic. the educational environment for their off - The health and psychosocial support to refugee springs: which then led to better school results; women address the current phase of the crisis, good habits and stronger motivation to learn. while there is an assumption that sexual vio - The project was positively received by local re - lence may increase during the Covid-19 pan - ligious, ethnic and culturally diverse communi - demic. ties, which resulted in improved educational The project of Caritas Slovakia covers the opportunities and livelihoods. costs associated with private transport for the During the project implementation, the or - children from economically weakest families in ganization encountered obstacles which needed order to provide them with an opportunity to to be addressed and perceived as challenges. gain an education. In addition to transport, the Project manager Viola Ternenyova from PiN project also provides them with school supplies, stated that the biggest obstacle was the deepen - material equipment, and tutoring (Caritas Slo - ing socio-economic crisis in Lebanon: vakia, 2019). Alena Horvathova from Caritas „All essential products and services Slovakia explains: were highly expensive, families prioritized „Thanks to the provision of school sup - livelihoods over education, and the banking plies, school fees, footwear, clothing, tutor - system ceased to function. The Lebanese ing and transport, children from the poorest currency was unsustainable and foreign cur - families of the Palestinian refugee commu - rencies were unavailable. In practice, this nity are able to attend school activities. meant difficulties in financing projects as Hence, they have hope for a better future well as in performing simple tasks. Ner - than their parents, thus preventing the emer - vousness and tension in society were grow - gence of the so-called lost generation.“ ing, and the level of violence was rising. Caritas also adapted their activities to the

Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Vo l. 12 N o. 1 2021 Original Articles 67 current situation related to the COVID-19 pan - 2. CARITAS SLOVAKIA (2019) Projects in demic. Lebanon [In Slovak language]. Available Conclusion online: https://charita.sk/pomoc-utecencom/ nase-projekty/projekty-v-libanone/. Economists believe that 50% of the 3. CHEHAYEB K, SEWELL A (2020) How Lebanese population already lives in poverty COVID-19 Is Limiting Healthcare Access without a state social support network (Daniel for Rugees in Lebanon. Available online: 2020). Up to 95% of Syrian and Palestinian https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/fea - refugees are dependent on financial assistance. ture/2020/04/21/Lebanon-coronavirus- The country is in real danger of famine. Due to refugee-healthcare. Covid-19 pandemic food prices have risen dra - 4. DANIEL J (2020) When Banks Burn. The matically once again, with many people having Lebanese Revolution Between the Coron - lost their employment due to restrictions on avirus and Economic Collapse [In Czech movement and workplace closures . ( Chehayeb, language]. Available online: https:// & Sewell, 2020 ) Sufficient social isolation and a2larm.cz/2020/05/kdyz-hori-banky- maintaining a safe distance is not possible in the libanonska-revoluce-mezi-koronavirem-a- overcrowded refugee communities. The situa - ekonomickym-kolapsem/. tion is the worst for those who live in tent set - 5. MAGNA (2019 ) Where We Help – tlements and therefore do not even have access Lebanon. [In Slovak language]. Available to running water. The massive explosion of am - online: https://www.magna.org/sk/kde- monium nitrate in Beirut port from August 2020 pomahame/libanon/. subsequently deepened the humanitarian crisis. 6. MARKOVIC BALUCHOVA B (2020) Ex - New project was supposed to start in Sum - amples of Humanitarian Aid Projects of mer 2020 under the name Basic health care and Slovak Organizations in Lebanon (Case nutrition program for refugees from Dbayeh study). Available online: https://ambrela.org camp in Beirut , implemented by St. Elizabeth /wp- content/uploads/2020/07/Ambrela_ University of Health and Social Work and sup - se_Study_Humanitarian_Aid_projects_Lib ported by SlovakAid. The project aims to im - anon_2020.pdf . prove the health of refugees, especially from 7. MARKOVIC BALUCHOVA B (2020) [In Syria. It may also be challenged by the current Slovak language]. Available online: https:// situation related to Covid-19 pandemic, as well mediaaboutdevelopment.wordpress.com/20 as the aftermath of Beirut‘s deadly explosion. 20/05/09/dobrovolnicka-anna-hrubonova- Interviews by Slovak journalists (Toda, tvarou-migracie/. 2016), development field workers and develop - 8. PEOPLE IN NEED (2019) Humanitarian ment volunteers (Markovic Baluchova, 2020; Aid – Lebanon . [In Slovak language]. Avail - People in Need, 2020) with refugees in able online: https://clovekvohrozeni.sk/hu - Lebanon show that, most of all, they now need manitarna-pomoc/libanon/. employment to provide livelihoods for their 9. PEOPLE IN NEED (2020) Coronavirus families. If possible, many of them would like and Our Projects Abroad [In Slovak lan - to return ho me to Syria in the future. However, guage]. Available online: https://clovek until it is safe and doable, Lebanon will need vohrozeni.sk/koronavirus-a-nase-projekty- much help. All of the above-mentioned Slo - v-zahranici/ vakAid projects are contributing to the solution 10. PEOPLE IN NEED (2020) Estelle, a Hu - despite the current Covid-19 pandemic barriers manitarian Worker in Lebanon: I Do Not and challenges. Regret Taking the Last Flight [In Slovak References language]. Available online: (https://clovek vohrozeni.sk/humanitarna-pracovnicka-v- 1. ADRA SLOVAKIA (2019) A Source of libanone-rozhovor/. Drinking Water for a Village in Lebanon [In 11. SLOVAK AID (2019 ) Partner Countries Slovak language]. Available online: https:/ - and Regions - Middle East [In Slovak lan - /www.adra.sk/libanonrezervoar/. guage]. Available online: https://www.slo -

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vakaid.sk/sk/ako-pomahame/partnerske-re - giony-krajiny. 12. TODA M (2016) It Has the Highest Num - ber of Refugees per Capita. We Looked into How the Small Country of Lebanon Can Survive [In Slovak language]. Available on - line: https://dennikn.sk/500403/ma-utecen - cov-cela-europa-sa-pozriet-moze-maly- libanon-prezit/. 13. UNHCR (2020) Global Trends 2019 . Avail - able online: https://www.unhcr.org/global - trends2019 . 14. WORLD POPULATION REVIEW (2020) Lebanon Population 2020 . Available on - line: https://worldpopulationreview.com/ countries/lebanon-population/.

This paper (and conducted research) is a part of project entitled ‘SDGs and Migration’ imple - mented by Slovak Platform for development or - ganizations - Ambrela within the framework of the DEAR programme.

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