Community in a Refugee Camp

When the H* family fled across the Syrian- Lebanese border in 2015 after a bombing destroyed their neighborhood in Syria, they expected to stay in the tent shelter where they first sought safety for just a few nights. They assumed, like countless families who became refugees due to the Syrian war, that they would be able to return home in no time. That was six years ago, and the Hussein family still finds themselves living in the same tent where they slept that first night.

Lebanon, which hosts more refugees per capita than any other country globally, has long banned refugees’ from finding more permanent settlement or legally working, due to Lebanon’s own economic crisis. For families like the Hussein’s, this has meant years of unending instability, without means to support themselves or sustainably live. Syria remains too dangerous to return, yet basics like healthcare, electricity, and nutritious food are scarce in their shelter, now.

Thanks to your generosity, the Hussein family has been able to outfit their children- and their neighbors!- with coats, hats and blankets in advance of this upcoming winter, protecting the youngest from Lebanon’s bitter cold. They’ve also received supply of basic medicines for children they were otherwise unable to access.

While the Hussein family awaits to find out what the future holds, we can’t provide concrete answers - but we can continue to be community, walking alongside them and creating home until they can finally return to theirs.