CRS Work in Lebanon

Catholic Relief Services Lebanon focuses on supporting Iraqi refugees, addressing tensions within and between communities, and strengthening the voices of progressive Lebanese people, particularly youth and women.

Helping Iraqi Refugees

Building on the Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center's (CLMC) five years of serving Iraqi refugees in Lebanon, CRS and the CLMC provide comprehensive assistance to the continuing influx of these refugees. During home visits, social workers assess families' health, employment, educational and other needs and then plan with the families to meet those needs. The CLMC provides destitute Iraqi families with humanitarian aid that includes necessities like diapers, baby formula, mattresses and heaters. It also coordinates tuition payments so Iraqi children can go to school, and vocational training so adults can develop job skills. Finally, the CLMC provides legal aid to Iraqis and other immigrants in Lebanon.

Nurturing Youth Leaders

Lebanon has endured wars and severe political instability during much of the past 30 years. With our partner Nahwa al-Muwatiniya (Towards Citizenship), CRS trains young adults to build a more peaceful society. The young people learn how government works and then interact with local authorities to accomplish goals. These newly formed advocates have launched public gardens in their villages, shadowed their local government officials, monitored their municipal budget, and lobbied for funding for a policeman where the village did not have one. This activism is contagious: Youth are eager to share their new skills and influence with their peers in other villages through trainings, workshops, press conferences and summer camps, creating a cadre of progressive new leaders for Lebanon.

Building Peace at the Local Level

The many political and religious rifts in Lebanese society often lead to violence. To prevent conflict, CRS and partners are working with diverse local communities to uncover their dreams in common. In a variety of communities around Lebanon, CRS and partners are creating "consensus teams"—groups of those natural community leaders who are interested in working for a more pluralistic and peaceful community. After training in topics such as coalition building and local governance structures, these teams carry out a village poll to identify needs where the community is not "deadlocked" but instead open for resolution. The teams then undertake projects to meet these needs and thereby build common ground.

Strengthening Civil Society

With funding from the National Democratic Institute, CRS Lebanon is helping nongovernmental organizations play a strong role in promoting progressive Lebanese dialogue. These Lebanese organizations implement projects to foster much-needed dialogue and action, working to create positive change.