Press release

Beirut, 19 October 2026– The project ‘Immediate Support for the Displaced Population in Lebanon’, launched by the NGO Un Ponte Per last May, came to an end in September. The project represented a necessary response to meet the most urgent needs of the Lebanese population, which, since March 2026, has been subjected to attacks and repeated evacuation orders from Israel. The project was funded by the ‘Otto Per Mille’ scheme of the Waldensian Church and was implemented as a humanitarian initiative aimed at improving the living conditions of families housed in collective shelters in Beirut and in reception centres in Zahle, through the distribution of essential hygiene and first-aid supplies and the organisation of recreational activities and psychosocial support.

The initiative ensured the distribution of 474 hygiene kits, containing essential items and specific products to meet the diverse needs of those staying in the centres, includingmenstrual hygiene products (around 313 kits) and care products for children and the elderly (over 450 nappies distributed). Alongside these distributions, 10 first-aid kits were supplied to the reception centres to strengthen their capacity to respond to immediate healthcare needs, together with the distribution of 19 baby kits intended primarily for children and teenagers.

Alongside the distribution of essential supplies, the initiative paid particular attention to the wellbeing of the boys and girls staying in the shelters. Until early July 2026, sports and recreational activities were organised at two school-shelters in Beirut, with an average of between 25 and 40 children taking part in each session. The activities were led by coaches and activity leaders trained in the principles of child protection, psychosocial support in emergency contexts and first aid. These initiatives were complemented by opportunities for socialising and leisure, and, in one of the facilities, screenings of cartoons. The gradual closure of numerous official shelters in the Lebanese capital subsequently led to the end of activities at the two facilities.

Overall, the operation reached 11 shelters across Lebanon, including four in Beirut, two in Saida and five in the north of the country.

The intervention in Beirut and Zahle forms part of Un Ponte Per’s response to the new humanitarian emergency in Lebanon, in a context where the rapid escalation of the crisis and the high number of people forced to leave their homes make it essential to provide timely support to reception centres and displaced families. Ensuring access to essential goods means not only meeting the most immediate material needs, but also helping to preserve the dignity, health and well-being of those forced to live away from their homes.