Khalifa Bin Zayed al-Nahyan Charitable Foundation
provides Ramadan relief to refugees
Beirut
, 2 October 2008
As part
of a donation of the Khalifa Bin Zayed al-Nahyan Charitable Foundation, the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has distributed, during the month of Ramadan,
food parcels and cash for fresh vegetables and meat, to 925 Palestinian special
hardship case families in Lebanon.
Each food
parcel included essential food items that are traditionally consumed during the
holy month. In addition, each family has received US$ 20 for the purchase of fresh
vegetables and / or meat.
Parcels
have been distributed to 742 families in Wavel camp and gatherings in the Beqaa
area, and 183 families living in gatherings in
Central Lebanon
area. Targeted families include women headed households, destitute old, widows,
orphans, disabled, large size families and unemployed or under employed people.
The Foundation,
whose donation to refugees in
Lebanon
totals US$100,000 this Ramadan, is a charitable arm of the UAE government and supports
a wide-spectrum of charities and causes.
The distribution
in
Lebanon
falls under a wider initiative by the foundation to provide poor Palestinian families,
living in
Syria
,
Lebanon
and
Jordan
with basic food parcels and meals during Ramadan.
UNRWA launches its Relief and Early Recovery Appeal for Nahr el-Bared
Beirut
, 11 September 2008
The
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
today launched an appeal for relief and early recovery assistance to meet the basic
needs of displaced families from the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp,
for the period from September 2008 to December 2009. The initiative
is in cooperation with the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee (LPDC) and the
Palestine Liberation Organization
The launch was attended by a large number of Arab and foreign ambassadors representing
donor states, as well as UN organisations, senior Lebanese and Palestinian officials
and representatives of the Palestinian community in
Lebanon
.
The appeal
for $42.7 million will help UNRWA to continue providing food and non-food items,
temporary educational and medical services, and maintain temporary shelter, water
and sanitation services while the camp is being rebuilt.
"UNRWA's Deputy Commissioner-General Mr. Filippo Grandi said in his address, that
“The situation for the displaced families remains extremely fragile. The activities
covered by this appeal are vital and the funds that are needed to carry them out
are urgently needed".
In the opening
session, Ambassador Khalil Mekkawi, Chairman of the Lebanese- Palestinian Dialogue
Committee, reiterated the commitment of the Lebanese government, UNRWA and the PLO
to reconstruct Nahr el-Bared camp and said "preparations for the reconstruction
are progressing well despite all challenges and obstacles". He urged all donor states
to honor their financial commitments towards relief and reconstruction and encouraged
other donors to fund more.
In his address, PLO Representative in
Lebanon
, Mr. Abbas Zaki, said that what has been achieved so far is the result of the real
partnership between the PLO, UNRWA and the Lebanese government. He added that it
is urgent now to fund the Relief and Early Recovery Appeal and urged the Arab countries
and international community to contribute more towards the reconstruction of Nahr
el-Bared.
UNRWA finished
clearing the rubble from its compound in late August. The contract for rubble removal
from Nahr el-Bared camp and de-mining was signed this week and the technical teams
have already been mobilized. Works in Nahr el-Bared will start in the coming weeks.
The first
phase of the major reconstruction and recovery effort – to rebuild the camp and
allow displaced refugees to return to their homes – is now underway. Providing there
are no unforeseen delays, displaced families will begin to return to their homes
inside the camp by the end of 2009 and reconstruction is due to be completed by
end 2011.
- Ends-
Not an official document
For more information please contact UNRWA Public
Information
Office tel:00961-1-840461 ext 314. e-mail:
h.samra@unrwa.org