Rabih’s story: navigating hardships with the support of cash assistance in Lebanon

This year marks the thirteenth year of the Syrian refugee crisis with around 1.5 million hosted by Lebanon. While the country is facing significant economic challenges worsened by COVID-19 outbreak and the Beirut blast, leading to extreme poverty for nine out of ten refugees. Syrian families struggle to access food and basic necessities. [1]

In response,  World Vision in partnership with the World Food Programme, are providing electronic cards to assist the most vulnerable families in Baalbeck and Hermel areas, providing critical cash assistance to help them confront their daily obstacles.

Nestled in a small village near Baalbeck, amidst agriculture fields dotted with informal tented settlements, lives Rabih, a Syrian refugee. Rabih a devoted father to twelve year old Sayde and nine-year-old Walid, shares a modest home with his Lebanese wife.

"We take each day as it comes," reflects Rabih. "I initially settled in Hermel, but later relocated to Baalbeck in search of good opportunities and to be closer to my wife’s family. Despite her own struggles, my widowed mother-in-law does her best to support us, especially in affording her medication, which costs around 10 million Lebanese pounds."

“Despite a leg injury resulting from a medical error, I try to find daily work to make ends meet,” continues Rabih.

"In addition to my leg injury, I battle diabetes whereby my daily medication cost is quite heavy, and I heavily rely on it," Rabih elaborates. "This is where the cash assistance has been incredibly helpful, helping me in covering medication costs and proceeding with treatment to be able to provide for my family.
 

In the cold weather, Rabih and his family utilize wood, sometimes provided by his mother-in-law, to heat their living space. This is crucial for ensuring warmth for Rabih, his wife, and their children, especially considering Rabih's leg injury, which tends to worsen in cold temperatures, making it challenging for him to walk. Given the harsh winters in the Beqaa Valley, staying warm is vital for their comfort and health. “We're adapting to our circumstances; for instance, we heat water for showers using a bowl on the fireplace. This same fire serves to cook our meals and keep us warm during the cold days," Shares Rabih

World Vision, in collaboration with the World Food Programme, provided Cash Assistance to 402,256 individuals in Bekaa, with a focus on meeting the basic needs of 216,011 children.