Since late February, violence has escalated across the Middle East, including in Lebanon. Families have been forced to evacuate, worsening the wave of mass displacement as over one million people have been displaced across the country. According to the country’s Health Ministry, air attacks have killed hundreds of people, and injured nearly two thousand more, with numbers only continuing to rise.
In response, IRUSA is mobilizing efforts to raise $1 million to address urgent needs on the ground, including providing ambulances to transport those in need of medical attention, and working with local shelters and community kitchens to distribute ready-to-eat hot meals and food parcels to families in need.
Lebanon has been in a crippling economic crisis for nearly seven years, pushing nearly half of its population into poverty without access to food, water, health care, and education. Fuel shortages have also caused widespread electricity blackouts, leaving large portions of the country in the dark for up to 23 hours per day. In turn, hospitals, schools, and small local businesses are struggling to operate.
To add, Lebanon plays host to a large population of refugees. Currently, it’s home to nearly 1.5 million Syrian refugees as well as over 220,000 Palestinian refugees.
For years, IRUSA has worked with local groups to bring vital aid to families across Lebanon, including:
Supporting sustainable agriculture, empowering fishing communities, and enhancing micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
Stay tuned to this page for ongoing updates.
The first round of cochlear implant surgeries at the Al-Hamshari Hospital have been completed. It was a huge success and the project was the most popular topic in the medical field in Lebanon, given the magnitude and the hope it gave to hundreds of children with hearing loss. Over 10 surgeons from neighboring hospitals attended the procedures to observe, and several news outlets reported on the surgeries—a testament to the rarity of such procedures in Lebanon. In 3 weeks, the devices will be activated, and the children will hear for the very first time!