Almost two months after the explosion in Beirut, the YMCA Lebanon teams haven’t stopped supporting the community, focusing on shelter and health. Their short-term goal is to ensure that families are back in their homes before winter comes.
Between 60 to 70 YMCA volunteers were mobilized daily from the Bekaa, Beirut and North of Lebanon, to come to the most affected zones in Beirut, helping in picking up the rubble, cleaning and covering windows with plastic sheets. YMCA provided the volunteers with transportation, food, equipment and materials.
Their main activities were:
Currently, YMCA Lebanon is deploying 12 youth workers, 3 social workers, 3 operations officers, 1 project coordinator, 1 administrative assistant and 1 operations manager to reach out to vulnerable families. They are providing supplies such as kitchen appliances (fridges, gas cookers and washing machines) Â and water tanks. They are also continuing to provide medicines to their usual beneficiaries. Â As of 22 September, YMCA had reached out to 73 affected families.Â
Testimony
One of the beneficiaries explains how the work of YMCA Lebanon has been key to support her family.
Working together with other organisations
YMCA Lebanon collaborates with local and international organisations for a better and faster response. They coordinate with the Emergency Operating Cell, led by the Lebanese Army (Beirut Forward Emergency Room), who are implementing the “Multi-Sector Needs Assessment”. 19,000 households out of 35,000 have been assessed to date, and work is expected to last until end of October. In addition, the YMCA is collaborating with UNICEF and LebRelief in installing 200 water tanks for families in the affected areas.
Donate
The YMCA Lebanon still need our support. They face the consequences of the explosion, the rise of COVID-19 cases and the cold temperatures. If you would like to support their work on the ground, please consider donating.
More information
- Have a look at some photos of YMCA Lebanon at work in Beirut (photos YMCA Lebanon)
Previous web articles
- Beirut: YMCA supporting families in coming back home (3 September 2020)
- Young people supporting their communities in Beirut (11 August 2020)
- YMCA Lebanon staff safe but in shock (5 August 2020)