When the real gift is a portion of warm food
Let us show you how we are able to help those in need through our Real Gift, the Humanitarian Package. This time, it reached Lebanon, where it provided nourishment for hundreds of internally displaced families.
Imagine losing the roof over your head due to a natural disaster, or being forced to flee your home with your family, your belongings crammed into a few bags, seeking safety in an unfamiliar place because of war. Such asituations strike without warning, and the immediate priority is on finding safety. Yet, just as crucial is the need for basic necessities like water, food, and warmth. At times, it’s a food parcel that’s most urgently needed; at other times, it may be hygiene products, medical supplies, or temporary shelter.
In emergencies like these, People in Peril aims to provide help as swiftly and effectively as possible. After the warehouse explosion in Beirut, we provided essential food, drinking water, powdered milk, and diapers for infants. During Lebanon’s severe snowstorm, there was a need to provide warmth, so we donated blankets and heating fuel. Following the tornado in Moravia, people lacked materials and money to repair their houses, so we offered financial support. Currently, we have provided 10,000 euros from the sale of our Real Gift Humanitarian Pack to provide food to internally displaced families in Lebanon.
Lebanon is currently facing an escalating humanitarian crisis as a result of the ongoing conflict and complex socio-economic challenges. Hundreds of thousands of people, primarily from the country’s south, have been forced to flee their homes.
Humanitarian crisis
Even before the escalation of the conflict, Lebanon was struggling with a severe economic crisis that has crippled public services and limited access to electricity, water and healthcare for its men and women. The country’s resources were already depleted and the conflict exacerbated the situation. The United Nations estimates that 3.7 million people in Lebanon are currently in need of humanitarian assistance. Many displaced families are taking refuge in overcrowded public shelters, such as schools. But they often lack basic items like mattresses, blankets, heating, cooking utensils for preparing food, and fuel for generators which will become even more urgent as winter approaches. The immediate priority, however, is to provide food, water, fuel and basic necessities to ensure the safety and well-being of the displaced families.
You can read about the conditions in Beirut’s suburbs, where thousands of displaced families have found temporary shelter, in our colleague’s writings HERE.
In partnership with IHR, a humanitarian organisation that supports the most vulnerable communities with a focus on refugees, IDPs and marginalised groups, we are currently distributing around 1,500 hot meals weekly. These are primarily for families living in public shelters such as schools and community centres across southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, Mount Lebanon, and Akkar. Together with IHR, we have implemented other projects in Lebanon in the past with a successful impact on the local population, so we chose them as a partner for food distribution as well.
And how does the whole process of selecting beneficiaries, preparing and distributing the food work?
IHR has identified areas and specific shelters housing large numbers of displaced people, especially vulnerable families, in need of food assistance. Afterwards, they partnered with local kitchens that adhere hygiene and quality standards for food preparation, and established the logistics for daily food production and distribution. In the meantime, a nutritional plan was developed for meals consisting of rice, vegetables, and protein, such as chicken or beef. All ingredients were purchased in bulk from local suppliers, with a preference for fresh and local produce. Strict nutritional and hygiene standards are maintained throughout the meal preparation process. Food transportation is coordinated with local distribution teams to ensure timely and organized delivery to beneficiaries. Distribution points are set up in designated shelters and community centres where families can collect their food. Volunteers from the local community were also involved in the distribution process. In addition, collaboration with other humanitarian organisations such as UNHCR, UNICEF and local agencies is also underway to avoid duplication of services.
Everyone can lend a helping hand
We are very proud that we have temporarily helped to feed the most vulnerable. It is also thanks to all of you who bought a Real Gift Humanitarian Pack.
We are committed to continuing our support whenever possible. And if we perhaps have inspired you to give someone a Real Gift too, it would mean even more. You can learn more about Real Gift options here: https://www.skutocnydarcek.sk/
